Memory device and semiconductor device

ABSTRACT

It is an object to provide a memory device whose power consumption can be suppressed and a semiconductor device including the memory device. As a switching element for holding electric charge accumulated in a transistor which functions as a memory element, a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film as an active layer is provided for each memory cell in the memory device. The transistor which is used as a memory element has a first gate electrode, a second gate electrode, a semiconductor film located between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode, a first insulating film located between the first gate electrode and the semiconductor film, a second insulating film located between the second gate electrode and the semiconductor film, and a source electrode and a drain electrode in contact with the semiconductor film.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a non-volatile semiconductor memorydevice. In particular, the present invention relates to a structure of amemory cell storing data and a driving method thereof.

BACKGROUND ART

Examples of a semiconductor memory device (hereinafter, simply referredto as a memory device) include a DRAM and an SRAM, which are categorizedas a volatile memory; a mask ROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM, a flash memory,and a ferroelectric memory, which are categorized as a non-volatilememory; and the like. Most of these memories including single crystalsemiconductor substrates are already put into practical use. Among theabove semiconductor memories, flash memories are widely marketed, whichare mainly used for mobile storage media such as USB memories and memorycards. The reason of this is that flash memories are resistant tophysical impact and can be conveniently used because they arenon-volatile memories which can repeatedly write and delete data and canstore data without being supplied with power.

As types of flash memories, there are NAND flash memories in which aplurality of memory cells is connected in series and NOR flash memoriesin which a plurality of memory cells is arranged in matrix. Any of theseflash memories has a transistor which functions as a memory element ineach memory cell. Further, the transistor which functions as a memoryelement has an electrode for accumulating electric charge, which iscalled a floating gate, between a gate electrode and a semiconductorfilm serving as an active layer. The accumulation of electric charge inthe floating gate enables storage of data.

Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe a thin film transistor including afloating gate which is formed over a glass substrate.

REFERENCE Patent Document

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Published Patent Application No. H6-021478

[Patent Document 2] Japanese Published Patent Application No.2005-322899

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Note that, in general, an absolute value of voltage applied to a memoryelement of a non-volatile memory in data writing is approximately 20 V,which tends to be higher than an absolute value of voltage applied to amemory element of a volatile memory. In the case of flash memories whichcan repeatedly rewrite data, high voltage needs to be applied to atransistor used as a memory element in data erasing as well as in datawriting. Accordingly, power consumption becomes high when a flash memoryoperates, for example, in data writing and in data erasing, which is onefactor that an electronic device including a flash memory as a memorydevice consumes high power. In particular, when a flash memory is usedfor a portable electronic device such as a camera and a mobile phone,high power consumption causes a disadvantage of short continuous usetime.

In addition, although a flash memory is a non-volatile memory, data islost by slight leak of electric charge. Therefore, data storage periodis approximately five years to ten years so far, and it is hoped that aflash memory capable of securing much longer storage period is realized.

Further, although a flash memory can repeatedly write and erase data, agate insulating film easily deteriorates by tunnel current when electriccharge is accumulated in a floating gate. Accordingly, the number oftimes of data rewritings in one memory element is at most approximatelyten thousands to hundred thousands, and it is hoped that a flash memorywhich can rewrite ten thousands to hundred thousands or more times isrealized.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present inventionto provide a memory device whose power consumption can be suppressed anda semiconductor device using the memory device. Further, it is an objectof the present invention to provide a memory device which can store datafor a further long period and a semiconductor device using the memorydevice. Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to providea memory device which can rewrite data a number of times and asemiconductor device using the memory device.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a non-volatile memory deviceis formed using a transistor which serves as a memory element andincludes a second gate electrode for controlling threshold voltage inaddition to a normal gate electrode. In addition, in the above memorydevice, in order to write data, electric charge is not injected withhigh voltage to a floating gate surrounded by an insulating film;instead, a potential of the second gate electrode for controlling thethreshold voltage of the transistor used as a memory element iscontrolled with a transistor having extremely low off-state current. Inother words, a memory device according to one embodiment of the presentinvention includes at least a transistor the threshold voltage of whichis controlled by the second gate electrode, a capacitor for holding apotential of the second gate electrode, and a transistor used as aswitching element for controlling charging and discharging of thecapacitor.

The amount of shift of the threshold voltage of the transistor used as amemory element is controlled by the height of a potential of the secondgate electrode, more specifically, by potential difference between asource electrode and the second gate electrode. In addition, differenceof height of threshold voltages or difference of resistance between thesource electrode and a drain electrode caused by difference of height ofthreshold voltages leads to difference of data stored in a memoryelement.

The transistor used as a memory element can be anything as long as it isan insulating-gate-type field-effect transistor. Specifically, thetransistor includes a first gate electrode, a second gate electrode, asemiconductor film located between the first gate electrode and thesecond gate electrode, a first insulating film located between the firstgate electrode and the semiconductor film, a second insulating filmlocated between the second gate electrode and the semiconductor film,and a source electrode and a drain electrode in contact with thesemiconductor film.

Furthermore, a transistor used as a switching element has a channelformation region which includes a semiconductor material with a wideband gap compared to that of silicon and low intrinsic carrier densitycompared to that of silicon. With a channel formation region including asemiconductor material having the above characteristics, a transistorwith an extremely low off-state current can be realized. As such asemiconductor material, for example, an oxide semiconductor, siliconcarbide, gallium nitride, or the like which has approximately threetimes as wide band gap as silicon can be given.

Note that an oxide semiconductor is metal oxide showing semiconductorcharacteristics including both of high mobility which is acharacteristic of microcrystalline silicon or polysilicon and uniformelement characteristics which is a characteristic of amorphous silicon.In addition, an oxide semiconductor highly purified by reduction ofimpurities, which can be an electron donor (donor), such as moisture orhydrogen (purified OS) is i-type (intrinsic semiconductor) orsubstantially i-type. A transistor including the above oxidesemiconductor has a property of extremely low off-state current.Specifically, after impurities such as moisture or hydrogen included inan oxide semiconductor are removed, the value of the hydrogenconcentration in an oxide semiconductor measured by secondary ion massspectrometry (SIMS) is 5×10¹⁹/cm³ or less, preferably 5×10¹⁸/cm³ orless, more preferably 5×10¹⁷/cm³ or less, and further preferably5×10¹⁶/cm³ or less. In addition, the carrier density of the oxidesemiconductor film which can be measured by Hall effect measurement isless than 1×10¹⁴/cm⁻³, preferably less than 1×10¹²/cm⁻³, more preferablyless than 1×10¹¹/cm⁻³, which is the minimum measurement limit or less.That is, the carrier density in the oxide semiconductor film isextremely close to zero. Furthermore, the band gap of the oxidesemiconductor is 2 eV or more, preferably 2.5 eV or more, morepreferably 3 eV or more. With the oxide semiconductor film which ishighly purified by sufficient reduction of the concentration ofimpurities such as moisture or hydrogen, the off-state current of thetransistor can be reduced.

The analysis of the concentrations of hydrogen in the oxidesemiconductor film and the conductive film is described here. Thehydrogen concentrations in the oxide semiconductor film and theconductive film are measured by SIMS. It is known that it is difficultto obtain data in the proximity of a surface of a sample or in theproximity of an interface between stacked films formed using differentmaterials by the SIMS in principle. Thus, in the case wheredistributions of the hydrogen concentrations of the films in thicknessdirections are analyzed by SIMS, an average value in a region in whichthe films are provided and from which values that are not greatlychanged from each other and are almost the same can be obtained areemployed as the hydrogen concentration. Further, in the case where thethickness of the film is small, a region from which the values arealmost the same can be obtained cannot be found in some cases due to theinfluence of the hydrogen concentration of the films adjacent to eachother. In this case, the maximum value or the minimum value of thehydrogen concentration of a region where the films are provided isemployed as the hydrogen concentration of the film. Furthermore, in thecase where a mountain-shaped peak having the maximum value and avalley-shaped peak having the minimum value do not exist in the regionwhere the films are provided, the value of the inflection point isemployed as the hydrogen concentration.

Note that it is found that the oxide semiconductor film formed bysputtering or the like includes a large amount of moisture or hydrogenas impurities. Moisture or hydrogen easily forms a donor level and thusserves as impurities in the oxide semiconductor itself. Thus, in oneembodiment of the present invention, heat treatment is performed on anoxide semiconductor film in a hydrogen atmosphere, an oxygen atmosphere,an atmosphere of ultra dry air (the gas in which content of water is 20ppm or less, preferably 1 ppm or less, and more preferably 10 ppb orless), or a rare gas (e.g., argon and helium) atmosphere in order toreduce impurities such as moisture or hydrogen in the oxidesemiconductor film. The above heat treatment is preferably performed at500° C. to 850° C. (alternatively, a strain point of a glass substrateor less) inclusive, more preferably 550° C. to 750° C. inclusive. Notethat this heat treatment is performed at a temperature not exceeding theupper temperature limit of the substrate to be used. An effect ofelimination of moisture or hydrogen by heat treatment is confirmed bythermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS).

Heat treatment in a furnace or a rapid thermal annealing method (RTAmethod) is used for the heat treatment. As the RTA method, a methodusing a lamp light source or a method in which heat treatment isperformed for a short time while a substrate is moved in heated gas canbe employed. By the use of the RTA method, it is also possible to makethe time necessary for heat treatment shorter than 0.1 hours.

Specifically, in a transistor which uses an oxide semiconductor filmhighly purified by the above heat treatment as an active layer, forexample, even in an element with a channel width (W) of 1×10⁶ μm and achannel length (L) of 10 μm, in a range of from 1 V to 10 V of voltage(drain voltage) between a source electrode and a drain electrode, it ispossible to obtain off-state current (which is drain current in the casewhere voltage between a gate electrode and the source electrode is 0 Vor less) which is less than or equal to the measurement limit of asemiconductor parameter analyzer, i.e., less than or equal to 1×10⁻¹³ A.Therefore, it is found that the off-state current density correspondingto a numerical value which is calculated in such a manner that the valueof the off-state current is divided by that of the channel width of thetransistor is 100 zA/μm or less. In addition, the off-state current ofthe transistor is measured by transition in the amount of electriccharge in a capacitor per unit time by the use of a transistor in whicha 100-nm-thick gate insulating film including a highly-purified oxidesemiconductor film is used as a switching element for holding electriccharge of a capacitor. Then, it is found that the low off-state currentcan be as low as 10 zA/μm to 100 zA/μm when the voltage between thesource electrode and the drain electrode of the transistor is 3 V.Therefore, in the memory device relating to an embodiment of the presentinvention, the off-state-current density of the transistor including thehighly-purified oxide semiconductor film as an active layer can be lessthan or equal to 100 zA/μm, preferably less than or equal to 10 zA/μm,or more preferably less than or equal to 1 zA/μm. Accordingly, when thevoltage between the gate electrode and the source electrode is 0 V orless, the off-state current of the transistor in which thehighly-purified oxide semiconductor film is used as an active layer isconsiderably lower than a transistor in which silicon havingcrystallinity is used.

In addition, a transistor including a highly-purified oxidesemiconductor shows almost no temperature dependence of off-statecurrent. It can be said that this is because an oxide semiconductor ishighly purified by removing impurities which is an electron donor(donor) in the oxide semiconductor and the conductivity type approachesto be intrinsic, so that the Fermi level is located in the center of aforbidden band. This also results from the fact that the oxidesemiconductor has an energy gap of 3 eV or more and includes very fewthermally excited carriers. In addition, the source electrode and thedrain electrode are in a degenerated state, which is also a factor forshowing no temperature dependence. The transistor is operated mainlywith carriers which are injected from the degenerated source electrodeinto the oxide semiconductor, and the above independence of off-statecurrent in temperature can be explained by independence of the carrierdensity in temperature.

As the oxide semiconductor, an oxide of four metal elements such as anIn—Sn—Ga—Zn—O-based oxide semiconductor; an oxide of three metalelements such as an In—Ga—Zn—O-based oxide semiconductor, anIn—Sn—Zn—O-based oxide semiconductor, an In—Al—Zn—O-based oxidesemiconductor, a Sn—Ga—Zn—O-based oxide semiconductor, anAl—Ga—Zn—O-based oxide semiconductor, and a Sn—Al—Zn—O-based oxidesemiconductor; an oxide of two metal elements such as an In—Zn—O-basedoxide semiconductor, a Sn—Zn—O-based oxide semiconductor, anAl—Zn—O-based oxide semiconductor, a Zn—Mg—O-based oxide semiconductor,a Sn—Mg—O-based oxide semiconductor, an In—Mg—O-based oxidesemiconductor, and an In—Ga—O-based oxide semiconductor; an In—O-basedoxide semiconductor; a Sn—O-based oxide semiconductor; a Zn—O-basedoxide semiconductor; and the like can be used. Note that in thisspecification, for example, an In—Sn—Ga—Zn—O-based oxide semiconductormeans a metal oxide including indium (In), tin (Sn), gallium (Ga), andzinc (Zn), and there is no particular limitation on the stoichiometriccomposition proportion. The above an oxide semiconductor may includesilicon.

Alternatively, an oxide semiconductors can be represented by thechemical formula, InMO₃(ZnO)_(m) (m>0). Here, M represents one or moremetal elements selected from Ga, Al, Mn, and Co.

The transistor with low off-state current is used as a switching elementfor holding electric charge accumulated in a memory element, wherebyleakage of electric charge from the memory element can be prevented.Therefore, a memory device capable of storing data for a long time and asemiconductor device using the memory device can be provided.

Further, voltage needed for writing data and reading data to/from amemory element is almost determined by operation voltage of thetransistor which functions as a switching element. Therefore, a memorydevice in which operation voltage can greatly be lowered compared tothat of a conventional flash memory and whose power consumption can besuppressed, and a semiconductor device using the memory device can beprovided.

Furthermore, a memory device in which the number of rewriting times canbe increased, and a semiconductor device using the memory device can beprovided since deterioration of a gate insulating film by tunnel currentcan be suppressed in comparison with a conventional flash memory.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a structure of a memory cell.

FIG. 2A illustrates a structure of a memory element and FIG. 2Billustrates operation thereof.

FIGS. 3A and 3B each illustrate a structure of a memory cell.

FIGS. 4A and 4B each illustrate a structure of a memory cell.

FIG. 5 illustrates a structure of a cell array.

FIG. 6 illustrates a structure of a cell array.

FIG. 7 is a timing diagram illustrating a driving method of a memorydevice.

FIG. 8 illustrates a structure of a memory device.

FIG. 9 illustrates a structure of a reading circuit.

FIGS. 10A to 10E are cross-sectional views of a memory cell illustratinga manufacturing method of a memory device.

FIGS. 11A and 11B are top views of a memory cell.

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an inverted staggeredtransistor in which an oxide semiconductor is used.

FIG. 13 is an energy band diagram (schematic diagram) along a sectionA-A′ in FIG. 12.

FIG. 14A illustrates a state where a positive potential (+VG) is appliedto a gate electrode (GE) and FIG. 14B illustrates a state where anegative potential (−VG) is applied to the gate electrode (GE).

FIG. 15 illustrates relations between the vacuum level and the workfunction of a metal (ϕ_(M)) and between the vacuum level and theelectron affinity (χ) of an oxide semiconductor.

FIGS. 16A and 16B illustrate a structure of a memory medium.

FIGS. 17A to 17C each illustrate a structure of an electronic device.

FIG. 18 illustrates a structure of a circuit for measurement.

FIG. 19 shows a measurement result (a relation between passing time Timeand an output potential Vout).

FIG. 20 shows a measurement result (a relation between source-drainvoltage V and off-state current I).

FIG. 21 is a timing diagram illustrating a driving method of a memorydevice.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that thepresent invention is not limited to the following description and it iseasily understood by those skilled in the art that the mode and detailscan be variously changed without departing from the scope and spirit ofthe present invention. Accordingly, the invention should not beconstrued as being limited to the description of the embodiments below.

Note that the present invention includes, in its category, all thesemiconductor devices in which memory devices can be used: for example,integrated circuits such as microprocessors and image processingcircuits, RF tags, memory media, and semiconductor display devices.Further, the semiconductor display devices include semiconductor displaydevices in which circuit elements using semiconductor films are includedin pixel portions or driver circuits, such as liquid crystal displaydevices, light-emitting devices in which a light-emitting elementtypified by an organic light-emitting element (OLED) is provided foreach pixel, electronic paper, digital micromirror devices (DMD), plasmadisplay panels (PDP), field emission displays (FED), and the like, inits category.

Embodiment 1

FIG. 1A illustrates one example of a circuit diagram of a memory cellwhich is the minimum unit of a memory device of the present invention. Amemory cell 100 in FIG. 1A includes a transistor 101 which functions asa memory element and a transistor 102 which can control the supply of apotential to a second gate electrode of the transistor 101 and functionsas a switching element. Further, a memory cell may be include acapacitor 103 for holding the potential of the second gate electrode ofthe transistor 101.

Note that the memory cell 100 may further have another circuit elementsuch as a diode, a resistor, or an inductor as needed.

The transistor 101 which functions as a memory element has a first gateelectrode, the second gate electrode, a semiconductor film locatedbetween the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode, a firstinsulating film located between the first gate electrode and thesemiconductor film, a second insulating film located between the secondgate electrode and the semiconductor film, and a source electrode and adrain electrode provided in contact with the semiconductor film. Withthe potentials of the first gate electrode, the second gate electrode,the source electrode, and the drain electrode of the transistor 101, avarious kinds of operation of the memory device can be controlled.

The transistor 102 which functions as a switching element has a channelformation region which includes a semiconductor material with a wideband gap and low intrinsic carrier density compared to those of silicon.Off-state current can be sufficiently reduced by using such asemiconductor material for the channel formation region of thetransistor 102.

As one example of a semiconductor material whose band gap is wider thanthat of a silicon semiconductor and whose intrinsic carrier density islower than that of silicon, a compound semiconductor such as siliconcarbide (SiC) or gallium nitride (GaN), an oxide semiconductor formed ofmetal oxide such as zinc oxide (ZnO), or the like can be employed. Amongthe above, an oxide semiconductor has an advantage of high massproductivity because an oxide semiconductor can be formed by sputtering,a wet process (e.g., a printing method), or the like. In addition, thedeposition temperature of an oxide semiconductor is 300° C. to 500° C.(a glass transition temperature or less, and approximately 700° C. at amaximum) whereas the process temperature of silicon carbide and processtemperature of gallium nitride are approximately 1500° C. andapproximately 1100° C., respectively. Therefore, an oxide semiconductorcan be formed over a glass substrate which is inexpensively availableand it is possible to stack a semiconductor element formed by an oxidesemiconductor over an integrated circuit using a semiconductor materialwhich does not have heat resistance high enough to withstand heattreatment at 1500° C. to 2000° C. Further, a larger substrate can beused. Accordingly, among the semiconductors with wide band gaps, theoxide semiconductor particularly has an advantage of high massproductivity. Further, in the case where an oxide semiconductor withhigh crystallinity is to be obtained in order to improve the property ofa transistor (e.g., field-effect mobility), the oxide semiconductor withcrystallinity can be easily obtained by heat treatment at 450° C. to800° C.

In the following description, the case where an oxide semiconductor withthe above advantages is used as the semiconductor film of the secondtransistor 102 is given as an example.

Note that although in FIG. 1A, the memory cell 100 includes onetransistor 102 which functions as a switching element, the presentinvention is not limited to this structure. In one embodiment of thepresent invention, it is acceptable as long as one transistor whichfunctions as a switching element is provided in each memory cell, andthe number of such transistors may be plural. In the case where thememory cell 100 includes a plurality of transistors which function asswitching elements, the plurality of transistors may be connected toeach other in parallel, in series, or in combination of parallelconnection and series connection.

Note that the state in which the transistors are connected to each otherin series refers to the state in which only one of a source electrodeand a drain electrode of a first transistor is connected to only one ofa source electrode and a drain electrode of a second transistor.Further, the state in which the transistors are connected to each otherin parallel refers to the state in which the source electrode of thefirst transistor is connected to the source electrode of the secondtransistor and the drain electrode of the first transistor is connectedto the drain electrode of the second transistor.

In addition, the transistor 102 which functions as a switching elementis different from the transistor 101 which functions as a memory elementin that it is acceptable as long as a gate electrode which is providedon one side of an active layer is included. Note that the presentinvention is not limited to this structure, and a transistor whichfunctions as a switching element may include a pair of gate electrodeshaving an active layer therebetween like a transistor which functions asa memory element.

Further, in one embodiment of the present invention, it is acceptable aslong as at least the transistor 102 which functions as a switchingelement has the above semiconductor material with a wide band gap in theactive layer. Therefore, an oxide semiconductor film may be used for theactive layer of the transistor 101 which functions as a memory element.Alternatively, for the active layer of the transistor 101 whichfunctions as a memory element, the following semiconductor other thanthe oxide semiconductor may be used: amorphous silicon, microcrystallinesilicon, polycrystalline silicon, single crystalline silicon, amorphousgermanium, microcrystalline germanium, polycrystalline germanium, singlecrystalline germanium, or the like. Note that when oxide semiconductorfilms are used for all of the transistors of the memory cell 100, aprocess can be simplified.

Then, a connection relation of the transistor 101, the transistor 102,and the capacitor 103 in the memory cell 100 in FIG. 1A will bedescribed.

A gate electrode of the transistor 102 is connected to a writing wordline WL. One of a source electrode and a drain electrode of thetransistor 102 is connected to an inputting data line Din, and the otherof the source electrode and the drain electrode of the transistor 102 isconnected to the second gate electrode of the transistor 101. The firstgate electrode of the transistor 101 is connected to a reading word lineRL. One of the source electrode and the drain electrode of thetransistor 101 is connected to an outputting data line Dout, and theother of the source electrode and the drain electrode of the transistor101 is connected to a power supply line supplied with a fixed potentialsuch as a ground potential.

Further, one of a pair of electrodes of the capacitor 103 is connectedto the second gate electrode of the transistor 101 and the other of thepair of electrodes of the capacitor 103 is connected to the power supplyline supplied with a fixed potential such as a ground potential.

Note that the term “connection” in this specification refers toelectrical connection and corresponds to the state in which current, apotential, or voltage can be supplied or transmitted. Accordingly, aconnection state means not only a state of a direct connection but alsoa state of indirect connection through a circuit element such as awiring, a resistor, a diode, or a transistor so that current, apotential, or voltage can be supplied or transmitted.

In addition, even when different components are connected to each otherin a circuit diagram, there is actually a case where one conductive filmhas functions of a plurality of components such as a case where part ofa wiring serves as an electrode. The term “connection” also means such acase where one conductive film has functions of a plurality ofcomponents.

The names of the “source electrode” and the “drain electrode” includedin the transistor interchange with each other depending on the polarityof the transistor or difference between the levels of potentials appliedto the respective electrodes. In general, in an n-channel transistor, anelectrode to which a lower potential is applied is called a sourceelectrode, and an electrode to which a higher potential is applied iscalled a drain electrode. Further, in a p-channel transistor, anelectrode to which a lower potential is applied is called a drainelectrode, and an electrode to which a higher potential is applied iscalled a source electrode. In this specification, for convenience,although connection relation of the transistor is described assumingthat the source electrode and the drain electrode are fixed in somecases; however, actually, the names of the source electrode and thedrain electrode interchange with each other depending on relationbetween the above potentials.

Note that in FIG. 1A, the transistor 102 has the gate electrode on oneside of the active layer. When the transistor 102 has a pair of gateelectrodes having the active layer therebetween, one of the gateelectrodes is connected to the writing word line WL, and the other ofthe gate electrodes may be in a floating state (i.e., electricallyinsulated) or may be supplied with a potential. In the latter case,potentials with the same level may be applied to the pair of electrodes,or a fixed potential such as a ground potential may be applied only tothe other of the gate electrodes. When the level of a potential suppliedto the other of the gate electrodes is controlled, the threshold voltageof the transistor 102 can be controlled.

Then, FIG. 1B illustrates one example of a cross-sectional view of thememory cell 100 having the circuit structure in FIG. 1A. The memory cellin FIG. 1B includes the transistor 101 which functions as a memoryelement and the transistor 102 which functions as a switching elementover a substrate 110 having an insulating surface.

Specifically, the transistor 101 includes, over the substrate 110 havingan insulating surface, a first gate electrode 121; an insulating film112 over the first gate electrode 121; an oxide semiconductor film 123which serves as an active layer and overlaps with the first gateelectrode 121 with the insulating film 112 provided therebetween; asource electrode 124 and a drain electrode 125 over the oxidesemiconductor film 123; an insulating film 116 over the oxidesemiconductor film 123, the source electrode 124, and the drainelectrode 125; and a second gate electrode 126 which overlaps with theoxide semiconductor film 123 over the insulating film 116. Further, aninsulating film 117 is formed over the second gate electrode 126 and maybe included as a component of the transistor 101.

In addition, the transistor 102 includes, over the substrate 110 havingan insulating surface, a gate electrode 111; the insulating film 112over the gate electrode 111; an oxide semiconductor film 113 whichserves as an active layer and overlaps with the gate electrode 111 withthe insulating film 112 provided therebetween; and a source electrode114 and a drain electrode 115 over the oxide semiconductor film 113. Theinsulating film 116 is formed over the oxide semiconductor film 113, thesource electrode 114, and the drain electrode 115 and may be included asa component of the transistor 102.

In addition, the capacitor 103 is formed in a region where the sourceelectrode 124 and the second gate electrode 126 of the transistor 101overlap with each other with the insulating film 116 providedtherebetween.

Next, as one example of the operation of a transistor which functions asa memory element, operation when the transistor 101 is an n-channeltransistor and binary data is used will be described with reference toFIGS. 2A and 2B. Note that FIG. 2A illustrates a circuit diagram of thetransistor 101. A potential of each electrode included in the transistor101 is represented as follows: the potential of the first gate electrodeis represented as Vcg, the potential of the second gate electrode isrepresented as Vbg, the potential of the source electrode is representedas Vs, and the potential of the drain electrode is represented as Vd.

First, the operation of the transistor 101 in data writing will bedescribed. In data writing, a voltage which is equal to or lower thanthe threshold voltage Vth₀ is applied between the first gate electrodeand the source electrode of the transistor 101. Note that the thresholdvoltage Vth₀ corresponds to the threshold voltage of the transistor 101when the potential Vbg of the second gate electrode is equal to theground potential Vgnd. Specifically, a relation between the potential ofthe first gate electrode and the potential of the source electrode indata writing is (Vcg−Vs)≤Vth₀. Therefore, the transistor 101 is in anoff state in data writing and the drain electrode of the transistor 101has high impedance.

Then, in data writing, the level of the potential Vbg of the second gateelectrode is controlled in accordance with a value of data which iswritten. When binary data is used, a high potential Vdd or a lowpotential Vss is applied to the second gate electrode. A relation amongpotentials can be expressed as Vdd>Vss≥Vgnd. For example, when thepotential Vbg of the second gate electrode is the low potential Vsswhich is equal to Vgnd, the threshold voltage of the transistor 101 iskept at Vth₀. On the other hand, when the potential Vbg of the secondgate electrode is the high potential Vdd, the threshold voltage of thetransistor 101 shifts to a negative side and becomes Vth₁.

Note that although in Embodiment 1, the case where the low potential Vssis equal to Vgnd in data writing is described as an example, the lowpotential Vss need not be equal to the ground potential Vgnd. Forexample, Vdd>Vss>Vgnd is also acceptable. Note that in that case theamount of a shift of threshold voltage is smaller than that of thresholdvoltage when the potential Vbg of the second gate electrode is the highpotential Vdd.

Next, the operation of the transistor 101 in data storing will bedescribed. In data storing, the transistor 102 which functions as aswitching element is in an off state. Since the off-state current of thetransistor 102 is extremely low as described above, the level of thepotential Vbg set in data writing is held.

Then, the operation of the transistor 101 in data reading will bedescribed. In data reading, voltage higher than the threshold voltageVth₁ and lower than the threshold voltage Vth₀ is applied to the firstgate electrode and the source electrode of the transistor 101.

In the case where the threshold voltage of the transistor 101 is made tobe Vth₁ in latest data writing performed before data reading, thetransistor 101 is turned on since the voltage between the first gateelectrode and the source electrode of the transistor 101 becomes higherthan the threshold voltage Vth₁, so that the resistance between thesource electrode and the drain electrode is lowered. Therefore, thepotential Vs of the source electrode of the transistor 101 is suppliedto the drain electrode of the transistor 101. On the other hand, in thecase where the threshold voltage of the transistor 101 is made to beVth₀ in latest data writing performed before the data reading, thetransistor 101 is kept off when the voltage between the first gateelectrode and the source electrode is higher than the threshold voltageVth₁ but lower than the threshold voltage Vth₀. Accordingly, theresistance between the source electrode and the drain electrode is high,so that the drain electrode of the transistor 101 keeps high impedance.

Accordingly, the potential Vd of the drain electrode is determineddepending on the level of the potential applied to the second gateelectrode in latest data writing performed before the data reading. FIG.2B illustrates a relation between the potential Vcg of the first gateelectrode and the drain current Id of the transistor 101 in datareading. A line 130 illustrates a relation between the potential Vcg andthe drain current Id when the threshold voltage is Vth₁. A line 131illustrates a relation between the potential Vcg and the drain currentId when the threshold voltage is Vth₀. As illustrated in FIG. 2B, whenthe voltage between the first gate electrode and the source electrode isa voltage Vread which is higher than the threshold voltage Vth₁ andlower than the threshold voltage Vth₀, it is understood from the line130 and the line 131 that drain current Id₁ obtained in the case wherethe threshold voltage is Vth₁ is higher than drain current Id₀ obtainedin the case where the threshold voltage is Vth₀. Therefore, when theamount of the drain current Id or the potential Vd of the drainelectrode is read, the value of written data can be understood.

Note that in Embodiment 1, although the case where in data reading, thevoltage between the first gate electrode and the source electrode ishigher than the threshold voltage Vth₁ and lower than the thresholdvoltage Vth₀ is described, the present invention is not limited to thisstructure. The voltage between the first gate electrode and the sourceelectrode in data reading need not be lower than or equal to thethreshold voltage Vth₀. For example, in the case where the thresholdvoltage of the transistor 101 is made to be Vth₁ in latest data writingperformed before data reading, the transistor 101 is turned on when thevoltage between the first gate electrode and the source electrode ishigher than the threshold voltage Vth₀ in data reading, so that theresistance between the source electrode and the drain electrode islowered. The resistance between the source electrode and the drainelectrode at that time, is denoted by Rds₀. On the other hand, in thecase where the threshold voltage of the transistor 101 is made to beVth₀ in latest data writing performed before data reading, thetransistor 101 is turned on when the voltage between the first gateelectrode and the source electrode is higher than the threshold voltageVth₀ in data reading, so that the resistance between the sourceelectrode and the drain electrode is lowered. The resistance between thesource electrode and the drain electrode at that time is denoted byRds₁. The transistor 101 operates in a saturation region at least in thecase where the threshold voltage is Vth₁; accordingly, the difference inresistance between the source electrode and the drain electrode can beexpressed as Rds₀<Rds₁ even when the transistor 101 is in an on state inthe both cases where the threshold voltage of the transistor 101 is Vth₁and where the threshold voltage of the transistor 101 is Vth₀.Specifically, when Vgs represents the voltage between the first gateelectrode and the source electrode, and when Vds represents the voltagebetween the source electrode and the drain electrode, the transistor 101should operate in the range of |Vds|>|Vgs−Vth₀|. When the difference inresistance between the source electrode and the drain electrode isexpressed as Rds₀<Rds₁, the potential Vd of the drain electrode can bedetermined depending on the level of the potential applied to the secondgate electrode in latest data writing performed before data reading evenwhen the voltage between the first gate electrode and the sourceelectrode in data reading is higher than the threshold voltage Vth₀. Forexample, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, when the voltage between the firstgate electrode and the source electrode is a voltage Vread′ which ishigher than the threshold voltage Vth₀, it is understood from the line130 and the line 131 that drain current Id₁′ obtained in the case wherethe threshold voltage is Vth₁ is higher than drain current Id₀′ obtainedin the case where the threshold voltage is Vth₀. Therefore, the amountof the drain current Id or the potential Vd of the drain electrode isread, so that the value of written data can be understood.

Then, operation of the transistor 101 in data erasing will be described.In data erasing, a voltage which is equal to or lower than the thresholdvoltage Vth₁ is applied between the first gate electrode and the sourceelectrode of the transistor 101 as in data writing. Specifically, arelation between the potential of the first gate electrode and thepotential of the source electrode in data erasing is (Vcg−Vs)≤Vth₁.Therefore, the transistor 101 is in an off state in data erasing and thedrain electrode of the transistor 101 has high impedance. In addition,in data erasing, the potential Vbg of the second gate electrode is setto a fixed potential such as a ground potential and the thresholdvoltage of the transistor 101 is set to Vth₀.

Note that in Embodiment 1, although the driving method of a memorydevice from which written data is erased is explained, the presentinvention is not limited to this structure. A memory device according toone embodiment of the present invention is different from a conventionalflash memory in that data erasing is not necessary, which is one ofadvantages. Therefore, for example, another data can be written so thatthe written data is overwritten.

Note that in the case of a normal flash memory, in data writing, afloating gate in which electric charge is accumulated is covered with aninsulating film and in an insulating state. Accordingly, a high voltageof approximately 20 V needs to be applied to a memory element in orderthat electric charge may be accumulated in the floating gate by the useof a tunnel effect. On the other hand, in one embodiment of the presentinvention, writing and reading can be performed by the use of atransistor including a highly-purified oxide semiconductor film as anactive layer of a transistor. Accordingly, a voltage of several voltsneeded for operation of the memory device, so that power consumption canbe remarkably reduced. Note that since a transistor used for a memoryelement of a flash memory and a transistor used for a memory elementaccording to one embodiment of the present invention are different instructure and driving method, it is difficult to understand thedifference in power consumption accurately by a potential applied toeach electrode of the memory element. However, for example, when powerconsumptions only in data writing are compared, data can be adequatelywritten to a memory device according to one embodiment of the presentinvention in the case where voltage applied between the second gateelectrode and the source electrode is 5 V. In contrast, in a normalflash memory, at least a voltage of approximately 16 V is needed to beapplied between the gate electrode and the source electrode so that datais written by accumulation of electric charge in a floating gate. Thepower consumption of the transistor corresponds to the value obtained bydividing the square of the gate voltage of the transistor by the loadresistance of the transistor. Thus, it is found that the powerconsumption of the memory device according to one embodiment of thepresent invention is approximately 10% of that of the normal flashmemory. Accordingly, it is understood from the comparison of powerconsumption in data writing that the power consumption in operation canbe drastically reduced.

Note that in a semiconductor device using a normal flash memory, sincevoltage needed for operation (operation voltage) of the flash memory ishigh, voltage applied to the flash memory is usually boosted by the useof a step-up dc-dc converter or the like. However, since the operationvoltage of the memory device can be lowered in a memory device accordingto one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to reducepower consumption. Accordingly, a load of an external circuit used foroperation of the memory device, such as a step-up dc-dc converter, in asemiconductor device can be decreased, so that the functions of theexternal circuit are expanded, and the higher performance of thesemiconductor device can be realized. Further, the operation voltage ofthe memory device can be lowered, so that redundant circuit design whichis needed to cover a failure caused by high operation voltage isunnecessary; therefore, the integration density of an integrated circuitused for the semiconductor device can be increased, and ahigher-performance semiconductor device can be formed.

Further, in Embodiment 1, although the driving method when binarydigital data is used is described, the memory device of the presentinvention can also use multivalued data, that has three or more values.In the case where multivalued data which has three or more values isused, three or more levels of the potential Vbg of the second gateelectrode is allowed to be selected in data writing. Since the value ofthe threshold voltage is controlled by the potential Vbg of the secondgate electrode, by employing the above structure, three or more levelsof the threshold voltage can be set in accordance with the levels of thepotential Vbg of the second gate electrode. Multivalued data can be readusing the difference in drain current caused by the difference in thelevel of the threshold voltage or the difference in resistance betweenthe source electrode and the drain electrode caused by the difference inthe level of the threshold voltage. Further, as another method, voltageswhose levels are slightly higher than the level of the threshold voltageare prepared in advance, and the voltages are applied to the first gateelectrode so that data is read in accordance with the level of thethreshold voltage. For example, in the case where four-valued data isread, four voltages (Vread0, Vread1, Vread2, Vread3) which are slightlyhigher than four-level threshold voltages (Vth₀, Vth₁, Vth₂, Vth₃) areprepared in advance, and data is read four times by the use of the fourvoltages; therefore, the four-valued data can be read. By the abovestructure, the memory capacity of the memory device can be increasedwhile preventing an enlargement of the area of the memory device.

Note that in the case of multivalued data which has three or more valuesin the data, since the difference between the levels of the thresholdvoltages becomes smaller as the number of values is increased to four,five, and six, for example. Thus, the potential of the second gateelectrode is changed if a slight amount of off-state current exists; insuch a state, it is difficult to maintain the accuracy of data, and aholding period tends to be further short. However, in one embodiment ofthe present invention, since a transistor whose off-state current isdrastically reduced by the use of a highly-purified oxide semiconductorfilm is used as a switching element, generation of off-state current canbe prevented more effectively as compared to a transistor includingsilicon. Accordingly, decrease in a holding period due to valuemultiplexing can be suppressed.

In addition, FIG. 1B illustrates the case where the transistor 102 whichfunctions as a switching element is a bottom-gate transistor includingthe oxide semiconductor film 113 over the gate electrode 111. However,the transistor 102 is not limited to a bottom-gate transistor. It isacceptable as long as the transistor 102 includes an oxide semiconductorfilm as an active layer. For example, the transistor 102 may be atop-gate transistor including a gate electrode over an oxidesemiconductor film. Further, the transistor 102 is not limited to atop-contact transistor in which the source electrode 114 and the drainelectrode 115 are formed over the oxide semiconductor film 113. Thetransistor 102 may be a bottom-contact transistor in which the oxidesemiconductor film 113 is formed over the source electrode 114 and thedrain electrode 115. Furthermore, although the transistor 102 is achannel-etched transistor in which the thickness of part of the oxidesemiconductor film 113 which overlaps with the insulating film 116between the source electrode 114 and the drain electrode 115 is smallerthan other portions, the present invention is not limited to thisstructure. The transistor 102 may be a channel-protective transistor inwhich a channel protective film is provided between the source electrode114 and the drain electrode 115 and over the oxide semiconductor film113 in order to prevent damage caused by plasma in etching for formingthe source electrode 114 and the drain electrode 115, reduction in filmthickness by etching, or the like.

FIG. 3A illustrates one example of a cross-sectional view of the memorycell 100 with the circuit structure in FIG. 1A. In the memory cell inFIG. 3A, the transistor 101 which is a channel-protective transistor andfunctions as a memory element and the transistor 102 which is achannel-protective transistor and functions as a switching element areformed over a substrate 140 having an insulating surface.

Specifically, the transistor 101 includes, over the substrate 140 havingan insulating surface, a first gate electrode 151; an insulating film142 over the first gate electrode 151; an oxide semiconductor film 153which overlaps with the first gate electrode 151 with the insulatingfilm 142 provided therebetween and functions as an active layer; achannel protective film 157 which overlaps with the gate electrode 151over the oxide semiconductor film 153; a source electrode 154 and adrain electrode 155 over the oxide semiconductor film 153; an insulatingfilm 146 over the oxide semiconductor film 153, the channel protectivefilm 157, the source electrode 154 and the drain electrode 155; and asecond gate electrode 156 which overlaps with the oxide semiconductorfilm 153 over the insulating film 146. In addition, an insulating film147 is formed over the second gate electrode 156 and may be included asa component of the transistor 101.

In addition, the transistor 102 includes, over the substrate 140 havingan insulating surface, a gate electrode 141; the insulating film 142over the gate electrode 141; the oxide semiconductor film 143 whichoverlaps with the gate electrode 141 with the insulating film 142provided therebetween and functions as an active layer; a channelprotective film 148 over the oxide semiconductor film 143; and a sourceelectrode 144 and a drain electrode 145 over the oxide semiconductorfilm 143. The insulating film 146 is formed over the oxide semiconductorfilm 143, the channel protective film 148, the source electrode 144, andthe drain electrode 145, and may be included as a component of thetransistor 102.

Further, the capacitor 103 is formed in a region where the sourceelectrode 154 and the second gate electrode 156 of the transistor 101overlap with each other with the insulating film 146 providedtherebetween.

The channel protective film 157 and the channel protective film 148 canbe formed by chemical vapor deposition such as plasma CVD or thermal CVDmethod, or sputtering. In addition, the channel protective film 157 andthe channel protective film 148 are preferably formed using an inorganicmaterial including oxygen (such as silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, orsilicon nitride oxide). By the use of an inorganic material includingoxygen for the channel protective film 157 and the channel protectivefilm 148, it is possible to satisfy the stoichiometric composition ratioby the following method: oxygen is supplied to at least regions of theoxide semiconductor film 153 and the oxide semiconductor film 143 thatare in contact with the channel protective film 157 and the channelprotective film 148, respectively, and oxygen deficiency serving as adonor is reduced even if oxygen deficiency is caused by heat treatmentfor reduction of moisture or hydrogen in the oxide semiconductor film153 and the oxide semiconductor film 143. Therefore, the channelformation region can be intrinsic or substantially intrinsic, andvariation in electrical characteristics of a transistor caused by oxygendeficiency is reduced; accordingly, the electrical characteristics canbe improved.

Note that a channel formation region corresponds to a region of asemiconductor film, which overlaps with a gate electrode with a gateinsulating film provided between the semiconductor film and the gateelectrode. In the case of a transistor used as a memory element, achannel formation region corresponds to a region of a semiconductorfilm, which is between a source electrode and a drain electrode andwhich overlaps with a first gate electrode or a second gate electrodewith a gate insulating film provided between the semiconductor film andthe first gate electrode or a second gate electrode.

Then, FIG. 3B illustrates one example of a cross-sectional view of thememory cell 100 with the circuit structure in FIG. 1A. The memory cellin FIG. 3B includes the transistor 101 which is a bottom-contacttransistor and which functions as a memory element and the transistor102 which is a bottom-contact transistor and functions as a switchingelement over a substrate 160 having an insulating surface.

Specifically, the transistor 101 includes, over the substrate 160 havingan insulating surface, a first gate electrode 171; an insulating film162 over the first gate electrode 171; a source electrode 174 and adrain electrode 175 over the insulating film 162; an oxide semiconductorfilm 173 which overlaps with the first gate electrode 171 with theinsulating film 162 provided therebetween, is in contact with the sourceelectrode 174 and the drain electrode 175, and functions as an activelayer; an insulating film 166 over the oxide semiconductor film 173, thesource electrode 174, and the drain electrode 175; and a second gateelectrode 176 which overlaps with the oxide semiconductor film 173 overthe insulating film 166. In addition, the insulating film 167 is formedover the second gate electrode 176 and may be included as a component ofthe transistor 101.

Further, the transistor 102 includes, over the substrate 160 having aninsulating surface, the insulating film 162 over the gate electrode 161;a source electrode 164 and a drain electrode 165 over the insulatingfilm 162; and an oxide semiconductor film 163 which overlaps with thegate electrode 161 with the insulating film 162 therebetween, is incontact with the source electrode 164 and the drain electrode 165, andfunctions as an active layer. The insulating film 166 is formed over theoxide semiconductor film 163, the source electrode 164, and the drainelectrode 165 and may be included as a component of the transistor 102.

Further, the capacitor 103 is formed in a region where the sourceelectrode 174 and the second gate electrode 176 of the transistor 101overlap with each other with the insulating film 166 providedtherebetween.

In addition, in FIG. 1A, FIG. 3A, and FIG. 3B illustrate the case wherean oxide semiconductor film is used for the active layer of thetransistor 101 which functions as a memory element. However, asdescribed above, for the active layer of the transistor 101, thefollowing semiconductor other than the oxide semiconductor may also beused: amorphous silicon, microcrystalline silicon, polycrystallinesilicon, single crystalline silicon, amorphous germanium,microcrystalline germanium, polycrystalline germanium, singlecrystalline germanium, or the like.

FIG. 4A illustrates one example of a cross-sectional view of the memorycell 100 when a semiconductor film including silicon is used for theactive layer of the transistor 101 which functions as a memory element.In the memory cell in FIG. 4A, the transistor 101 which functions as amemory element and the transistor 102 which functions as a switchingelement are formed over a substrate 200 having an insulating surface.

Specifically, the transistor 102 includes, over the substrate 200 havingan insulating surface, a gate electrode 211; an insulating film 230 overthe gate electrode 211; an oxide semiconductor film 213 which overlapswith the gate electrode 211 with the insulating film 230 providedtherebetween and functions as an active layer; and a source electrode214 and a drain electrode 215 over the oxide semiconductor film 213. Aninsulating film 231 is formed over the oxide semiconductor film 213, thesource electrode 214, and the drain electrode 215 and may be included asa component of the transistor 102.

Further, the transistor 101 includes, over the insulating film 231formed over the substrate 200 having an insulating surface, a first gateelectrode 221; an insulating film 212 over the first gate electrode 221;a semiconductor film 223 which overlaps with the first gate electrode221 with the insulating film 212 provided therebetween and functions asan active layer including silicon; a source electrode 224 and a drainelectrode 225 over the semiconductor film 223; an insulating film 216over the semiconductor film 223, the source electrode 224, and the drainelectrode 225; and a second gate electrode 226 which overlaps with thesemiconductor film 223 over the insulating film 216. In addition, aninsulating film 217 is formed over the second gate electrode 226 and maybe included as a component of the transistor 101.

Further, the capacitor 103 is formed in a region where the drainelectrode 225 and the second gate electrode 226 of the transistor 101overlap with each other with the insulating film 216 providedtherebetween.

Then, FIG. 4B illustrates one example of a cross-sectional view of thememory cell 100 when a semiconductor film including silicon is used forthe active layer of the transistor 101 which functions as a memoryelement. In the memory cell in FIG. 4B, the transistor 101 whichfunctions as a memory element and the transistor 102 which functions asa switching element are formed over a substrate 270 having an insulatingsurface.

Specifically, the transistor 102 includes, over an insulating film 247formed over the substrate 270, a gate electrode 241; an insulating film260 over the gate electrode 241; an oxide semiconductor film 243 whichoverlaps with the gate electrode 241 with the insulating film 260provided therebetween and functions as an active layer; and a sourceelectrode 244 and a drain electrode 245 over the oxide semiconductorfilm 243. An insulating film 261 is formed over the oxide semiconductorfilm 243, the source electrode 244, and the drain electrode 245 and maybe included as a component of the transistor 102.

In addition, the transistor 101 includes, over the substrate 270, afirst gate electrode 251; an insulating film 242 over the first gateelectrode 251; a semiconductor film 253 which overlaps with the firstgate electrode 251 with the insulating film 242 provided therebetweenand functions as an active layer including silicon; a source electrode254 and a drain electrode 255 over the semiconductor film 253; aninsulating film 246 over the semiconductor film 253, the sourceelectrode 254, and the drain electrode 255; and a second gate electrode256 which overlaps with the semiconductor film 253 over the insulatingfilm 246. In addition, the insulating film 247 is formed over the secondgate electrode 256 and may be included as a component of the transistor101.

Further, the capacitor 103 is formed in a region where the drainelectrode 255 and the second gate electrode 256 of the transistor 101overlap with each other with the insulating film 246 providedtherebetween.

Note that although FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B illustrate the case where thetransistor 101 is a bottom-gate transistor, the transistor 101 may beeither a top-gate transistor or a bottom-contact transistor. Inaddition, although the transistor 101 is a channel-etched transistor,the transistor 101 may be a channel-protective transistor. Further,although FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B illustrate the case where the transistor102 is a bottom-gate transistor, the transistor 102 may be a top-gatetransistor or a bottom-contact transistor. In addition, although thetransistor 102 is a channel-etched transistor, the transistor 102 may bea channel-protective transistor.

Embodiment 2

In Embodiment 2, an example of a structure of a memory device includinga plurality of memory cells and a driving method thereof will bedescribed.

As an example, FIG. 5 illustrates a circuit diagram of a cell array in aNOR-type memory device in which a plurality of memory cells 300 isarranged in matrix. The description of a structure of the memory cell100 in Embodiment 1 can be referred to for a structure of each memorycell 300 included in the memory device in FIG. 5.

Specifically, the memory cell 300 includes a transistor 301 whichfunctions as a memory element and a transistor 302 which functions as aswitching element, and which can control the supply of a potential to asecond gate electrode of the transistor 301. In addition, the memorycell 300 may include a capacitor 303 for holding the potential of thesecond gate electrode of the transistor 301. The memory cell 300 mayfurther include another circuit element such as a diode, a resistor, oran inductor, as necessary.

The cell array in FIG. 5 includes a various kinds of wirings such as aplurality of inputting data lines Din, a plurality of outputting datalines Dout, a plurality of writing word lines WL, and a plurality ofreading word lines RL. A power supply potential or a signal from adriver circuit of the cell array is supplied to each of the memory cells300 through these wirings. Therefore, the number of the wirings can bedetermined by the number of the memory cells 300 and arrangement of thememory cells 300.

Specifically, the cell array in FIG. 5 includes the memory cellsprovided in three rows and three columns are arranged in matrix to eachother, and at least the inputting data lines Din1 to Din3, theoutputting data lines Dout1 to Dout3, the writing word lines WL1 to WL3,and the reading word lines RL1 to RL3 are provided.

Then, one of the memory cells 300 which is connected to the inputtingdata line Din1, the outputting data line Dout1, the writing word lineWL1, and the reading word line RL1 is given as an example of theconnection structure of the wirings and circuit elements in the memorycell 300 will be described. A gate electrode of the transistor 302 isconnected to the writing word line WL1. One of a source electrode and adrain electrode of the transistor 302 is connected to the inputting dataline Din1 and the other of the source electrode and the drain electrodeof the transistor 302 is connected to the second gate electrode of thetransistor 301. A first gate electrode of the transistor 301 isconnected to the reading word line RL1. One of a source electrode and adrain electrode of the transistor 301 is connected to the outputtingdata line Dout1 and the other of the source electrode and the drainelectrode of the transistor 301 is connected to a power supply line 304supplied with a fixed potential such as a ground potential.

Further, one of a pair of electrodes of the capacitor 303 is connectedto the second gate electrode of the transistor 301 and the other of thepair of electrodes of the capacitor 303 is connected to the power supplyline 304 supplied with a fixed potential such as a ground potential.

As an example, FIG. 6 illustrates the circuit diagram of a cell array ina NAND-type memory device in which the plurality of memory cells 300 isconnected in series. The structure in FIG. 6 is the same as that in FIG.5, and description of the structure of the memory cell 100 in Embodiment1 can be referred to for the structure of each memory cell included inthe memory device in FIG. 6.

The cell array in FIG. 6 includes three columns of cell arrays in whichthree memory cells are connected in series. Specifically, the cell arrayincludes the memory cells provided in three rows and three columns, andthe inputting data lines Din1 to Din3, the outputting data lines Dout1to Dout3, the writing word lines WL1 to WL3, the reading word lines RL1to RL3, selecting signal lines SEL1 and SEL2, and the power supply line304. A power supply potential or a signal from a driver circuit of thecell array is supplied to each of the memory cells through thesewirings. Accordingly, the number of the wirings can be determined by thenumber of the memory cells 300.

Then, the connection structure of the wirings and circuit elements inthe memory cell 300 will be described. For example, the memory cell 300which is connected to the inputting data line Din1, the outputting dataline Dout1, the writing word line WL1, and the reading word line RL1 isfocused. The gate electrode of the transistor 302 is connected to thewriting word line WL1. One of the source electrode and the drainelectrode of the transistor 302 is connected to the inputting data lineDin1 and the other of the source electrode and the drain electrode ofthe transistor 302 is connected to the second gate electrode of thetransistor 301. The first gate electrode of the transistor 301 isconnected to the reading word line RL1. In addition, the transistors 301are connected in series among memory cells adjacent to each otherbetween the outputting data line Dout1 and the power supply line 304supplied with a fixed potential such as a ground potential.

Further, one of the pair of electrodes of the capacitor 303 is connectedto the second gate electrode of the transistor 301, and the other of theelectrodes of the capacitor 303 is connected to the power supply line304 supplied with a fixed potential such as a ground potential.

Then, the operation of a memory device according to one embodiment ofthe present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 21 givingthe cell array in FIG. 6 as an example. FIG. 21 is a timing diagramillustrating a change in the potential of signals input to wirings overtime. FIG. 21 illustrates the case where the transistor 301 and thetransistor 302 are n-channel transistors and binary data is used.

First, the operation of the memory device in data writing will bedescribed. In data writing, when a signal with a pulse is input to thewriting word line WL1, the potential of the pulse, specifically, ahigh-level potential, is supplied to the gate electrode of thetransistor 302. Each transistor 302 whose gate electrode is connected tothe writing word line WL1 is in an on state. Meanwhile, when a low-levelpotential is input to the reading word line RL1, a low-level potentialis supplied to the first gate electrode of the transistor 301. Eachtransistor 301 whose first gate electrode is connected to the readingword line RL1 is in an off state.

Then, signals with data are sequentially input to the inputting datalines Din1 to Din3. FIG. 21 illustrates the case where signals withhigh-level potentials are input to the inputting data line Din1 and theinputting data line Din3, and a signal with a low-level potential isinput to the inputting data line Din2. Needless to say, the levels ofthe potentials of signals input to the inputting data lines Din1 to Din3are varied depending on data.

The potentials input to the inputting data lines Din1 to Din3 aresupplied to the second gate electrode of the transistor 301 through thetransistors 302 which are in an on state. The amount of shift in thethreshold voltage of the transistor 301 is determined in accordance withthe potential of the second gate electrode. Specifically, since signalswith high-level potentials are input to the inputting data line Din1 andthe inputting data line Din3, the potential of the second gate electrodeof the transistor 301 is at a high level in each of the memory cell 300which is connected to the inputting data line Din1 and the memory cell300 which is connected to the inputting data line Din3. That is, in sucha memory cell 300, the transistor 301 which functions as a memoryelement operates on the basis of the line 130 in FIG. 2B. On the otherhand, since a signal with a low-level potential is input to theinputting data line Din2, the potential of the second gate electrode ofthe transistor 301 is at a low level in each of the memory cells 300which are connected to the inputting data line Din2. That is, in such amemory cell 300, the transistor 301 which functions as a memory elementoperates on the basis of the line 131 in FIG. 2B.

When the input of a signal with a pulse to the writing word line WL1 isfinished, each transistor 302 whose gate electrode is connected to thewriting word line WL1 is turned off. Then, signals with pulses aresequentially input to the writing word line WL2 and the writing wordline WL3, and the above operation is similarly repeated in a memory cellincluding the writing word line WL2 and each memory cell including thewriting word line WL3.

Then, the operation of the memory device in data storing will bedescribed. In data storing, all of the writing word lines WL1 to WL3 aresupplied with potentials with levels at which the transistor 302 isturned off, specifically, low-level potentials. Since, the off-statecurrent of the transistor 302 is extremely low as described above, thelevel of the potential of the second gate electrode set in data writingis held. Low-level potentials are supplied to all of the reading wordlines RL1 to RL3.

In the timing diagram of FIG. 21, a holding period is provided in orderto describe the operation of data storing. However, a holding period isnot necessarily provided for actual operation of a memory.

Then, the operation of the memory device in data reading will bedescribed. In data reading, as in data storing, all of the writing wordlines WL1 to WL3 are supplied with potentials with levels at which thetransistor 302 is turned off, specifically, low-level potentials.

In a NAND-type memory device, adjacent memory cells are connected toeach other in series between an outputting data line and a power supplyline which is supplied with a fixed potential such as a groundpotential. In the case where data in a memory cell is to be read, storedbinary data can be distinguished by whether the outputting data line towhich the memory cell is connected is in conductive state with the powersupply line supplied with a fixed potential such as a ground potentialby control of memory cells connected to the same outputting data line asthe memory cell.

Specifically, the memory cell 300 which is connected to the inputtingdata line Din1, the outputting data line Dout1, the writing word lineWL1, and the reading word line RL1 is focused, and the case wherehigh-level data stored in the memory cell 300 is read is considered. Inorder to select the outputting data line Dout1 to which the memory cell300 is connected, SEL1 and SEL2 are made to have high-level potentialsso that a transistor 320 connected to SEL1 and a transistor 321connected to SEL2 are made to be in an on state. Then, the reading wordline RL1 connected to the first gate electrode of the transistor 301 inthe memory cell 300 has a low-level potential. Further, the reading wordlines RL2 and RL3 are supplied with high-level potentials so that eachtransistor 301 connected to the reading word lines RL2 and RL3 may beturned on. High-level data is written to the second gate electrode ofthe transistor 301 of the memory cell 300. That is, the thresholdvoltage is shifted to the negative side in accordance with operation ofthe transistor 301 which functions as a memory element which isillustrated in FIG. 2B and becomes Vth₁. Therefore, the transistor 301is in an on state. Accordingly, each transistor connected to theoutputting data line Dout1 is in an on state, and the outputting dataline Dout1 and the power supply line supplied with ground are broughtinto conduction, so that the outputting data line Dout1 is made to havesubstantially the same potential as a ground.

Sequentially, the memory cell 300 which is connected to the inputtingdata line Din2, the outputting data line Dout2, the writing word lineWL1, and the reading word line RL1 is focused, and the case wherelow-level data stored in the memory cell 300 is read is considered. Inorder to select the outputting data line Dout2, SEL1 and SEL2 are madeto have low-level potentials so that a transistor 320 connected to SEL1and a transistor 321 connected to SEL2 are turned on. Then, the readingword line RL1 connected to the first gate electrode of the transistor301 in the memory cell 300 has a low-level potential. Further, thereading word lines RL2 and RL3 are supplied with high-level potentialsso that each transistor 301 connected to the reading word lines RL2 andRL3 may be turned on. Low-level data is written to the second gateelectrode of the transistor 301 of the memory cell 300. That is, thethreshold voltage is not shifted in accordance with operation of thetransistor 301 which functions as a memory element which is illustratedin FIG. 2B and becomes Vth₀. Therefore, the transistor 301 is in an offstate. Accordingly, the outputting data line Dout2 and the power supplyline supplied with ground are out of conduction, and the outputting dataline Dout2 is made to have high impedance.

Note that each of the outputting data lines Dout is connected to areading circuit, and an output signal of the reading circuit is theactual output of a memory.

Note that in Embodiment 2, when an outputting data line is selected indata reading, the case where two selecting signal lines SEL1 and SEL2and transistors whose gate electrodes are connected to the signal linesare used is illustrated. Since it is acceptable as long as whether theoutputting data line and a reading circuit connected thereto are broughtinto or out of conduction can be selected when the outputting data lineis selected in data reading, At least one selecting signal line and atransistor connected to the selecting signal line may be provided.

Although in Embodiment 2, a driving method in which writing, storing,and reading of data are sequentially performed in a plurality of memorycells is described, the present invention is not limited to thisstructure. Only a memory cell with the specified address may besubjected to the above operation.

In addition, in the cell array in FIG. 6, four wirings (the inputtingdata line Din, the outputting data line Dout, the writing word line WL,and the reading word line RL) are connected to each memory cell.However, in a memory device of the present invention, the number ofwirings connected to each memory cell is not limited to four. The numberof wirings and a connection structure may be determined as appropriateso that the memory cell 300 can be supplied with a signal controllingon/off of the transistor 301, a signal for controlling switching of thetransistor 302, and a signal for supplying a potential to the secondgate electrode of the transistor 301, and a potential which has theamount of the drain current of the transistor 301 or resistance betweenthe source electrode and the drain electrode as data can be transmittedto a driver circuit.

Note that in the timing diagram in FIG. 21, shaded portions in theoutputting data lines Dout1, Dout2, and Dout3 indicate a state in whichdata is not determined. Further, although each signal rises and fallsvertically, it is easily understood by those skilled in the art that thewaveforms of actual signals are dulled due to the influence of a load ofa signal line, noise, or the like.

Then, the operation of a memory device according to one embodiment ofthe present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 7 givingthe cell array in FIG. 5 as an example. FIG. 7 is a timing diagramillustrating a change in the potential of signals input to wirings overtime. FIG. 7 illustrates the case where the transistor 301 and thetransistor 302 are n-channel transistors and binary data is used.

First, the operation of the memory device in data writing will bedescribed. In data writing, when a signal with a pulse is input to thewriting word line WL1, the potential of the pulse, specifically, ahigh-level potential, is supplied to the gate electrode of thetransistor 302. Each transistor 302 whose gate electrode is connected tothe writing word line WL1 is in an on state. On the other hand, a signalhaving a potential lower than Vth₁ in FIG. 2B illustrating the operationof a transistor which functions as a memory element is input to thereading word line RL1; thus, each transistor 301 whose first gateelectrode is connected to the reading word line RL1 is kept off.

Then, signals with data are sequentially input to the inputting datalines Din1 to Din3. Although FIG. 7 illustrates the case where a signalwith a high-level potential is input to each of the inputting data linesDin1 to Din3. Needless to say, the levels of the potentials of signalsinput to the inputting data lines Din1 to Din3 are varied depending onthe content of data. Further, in the case where binary data is used, itis acceptable as long as the potentials of signals input to theinputting data lines Din1 to Din3 correspond to two kinds of powersupply voltages (e.g., Vdd and Vss). In the case where multivalued datawith three or more values is used, the kinds of levels of potentials maybe determined on the basis of a cardinal number used in the data.

The potentials input to the inputting data lines Din1 to Din3 aresupplied to the second gate electrode of the transistor 301 through thetransistors 302 which are in an on state. The amount of shift in thethreshold voltage of the transistor 301 is determined in accordance withthe potential of the second gate electrode.

When the input of a signal with a pulse to the writing word line WL1 isfinished, each transistor 302 whose gate electrode is connected to thewriting word line WL1 is turned off. Then, signals with pulses aresequentially input to the writing word line WL2 and the writing wordline WL3, and the above operation is similarly repeated in a memory cellwith the writing word line WL2 and each memory cell with the writingword line WL3.

Then, the operation of the memory device in data storing will bedescribed. In data storing, all of the writing word lines WL1 to WL3 aresupplied with potentials with levels at which the transistor 302 isturned off, specifically, low-level potentials. Since, the off-statecurrent of the transistor 302 is extremely low as described above, thelevel of the potential of the second gate electrode set in data writingis held. Further, all of the reading word lines RL1 to RL3 are suppliedwith potentials with levels in which the transistor 301 is turned off,specifically, a potential lower than Vth₁ in FIG. 2B illustrating theoperation of a transistor which functions as a memory element.

In the timing diagram of FIG. 7, a holding period is provided in orderto describe the operation of data storing. However, a holding period isnot necessarily provided for actual operation of a memory.

Then, the operation of the memory device in data reading will bedescribed. In data reading, as in data storing, all of the writing wordlines WL1 to WL3 are supplied with a potential with a level in which thetransistor 302 is turned off, specifically, a low-level potential.

On the other hand, in data reading, signals with pulses are sequentiallyinput to the reading word lines RL1 to RL3. Specifically, first, when asignal with a pulse is input to the reading word line RL1, the potentialof the pulse, specifically, a potential higher than Vth₁ in FIG. 2Billustrating the operation of a transistor which functions as a memoryelement and lower than Vth₀ or a potential higher than Vth₀ is appliedto the first gate electrode of the transistor 301. When the first gateelectrode of the transistor 301 is supplied with the potential higherthan Vth₁ in FIG. 2B illustrating the operation of a transistor whichfunctions as a memory element and lower than Vth₀ or the potentialhigher than Vth₀, the drain current or the resistance between the sourceelectrode and the drain electrode of the transistor 301 is determined inaccordance with the threshold voltage set in latest data writing beforedata reading.

A potential having the amount of the drain current of the transistor 301or a value of the resistance between the source electrode and the drainelectrode of the transistor 301 as data, that is, the potential of oneof the source electrode and the drain electrode of the transistor 301which is connected to the outputting data lines Dout1 to Dout3 issupplied to the driver circuit through the outputting data lines Dout1to Dout3.

Note that the levels of potentials supplied to the outputting data linesDout1 to Dout3 are determined in accordance with data written to thememory cells. Accordingly, in an ideal view, potentials having the samelevel should be supplied to all of the outputting data lines connectedto the memory cells when data with the same value is stored in theplurality of memory cells. However, actually, there is a case where thecharacteristics of the transistor 301 or the transistor 302 are variedamong the memory cells; thus, the potentials supplied to the outputtingdata lines are varied even if all of data to be read has the same value,so that values of potentials can be widely distributed sometimes.Accordingly, a reading circuit in which a signal including data readfrom the above potentials and having amplitude and waveforms processedin accordance with the desired specification can be generated even whena little variation occurs in the potentials supplied to the outputtingdata lines Dout1 to Dout3, is provided in the memory device as thedriver circuit.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a circuit diagram of a reading circuit.The reading circuit in FIG. 9 includes transistors 310_1 to 310_3 whichfunction as switching elements for controlling the input of thepotentials of the outputting data lines Dout1 to Dout3 to the readingcircuit, and transistors 311_1 to 311_3 which function as resistors. Inaddition, the reading circuit in FIG. 9 includes operational amplifiers312_1 to 312_3.

Specifically, gate electrodes of the transistors 311_1 to 311_3 areconnected to drain electrodes of the transistors 311_1 to 311_3,respectively. In addition, the high-level power supply potential Vdd issupplied to the gate electrodes and the drain electrodes. Further,source electrodes of the transistors 311_1 to 311_3 are connected tonon-inverting input terminals (+) of the operational amplifiers 312_1 to312_3, respectively. Accordingly, the transistors 311_1 to 311_3function as resistors connected between nodes supplied with the powersupply potential Vdd and the non-inverting input terminals (+) of theoperational amplifiers 312_1 to 312_3. Note that although in FIG. 9, thetransistor whose gate electrode is connected to the drain electrode isused as a resistor, the present invention is not limited to this.Alternatively, an element functioning as a resistor can be used.

Further, gate electrodes of the transistors 310_1 to 310_3 whichfunction as switching elements are connected to bit lines BL1 to BL3,respectively. Then, connections between the outputting data lines Dout1to Dout3 and the source electrodes of the transistors 311_1 to 311_3 arecontrolled in accordance with potentials of the bit lines BL1 to BL3

For example, when the transistor 310_1 is turned on, the transistor 301in the memory cell 300 and the transistor 311_1 in the reading circuitare connected in series. Then, a potential Vdata at a node of theconnection is supplied to the non-inverting input terminals (+) of theoperational amplifiers 312_1 to 312_3. The level of the potential Vdatais determined in accordance with the ratio of the resistance between thesource electrode and the drain electrode of the transistor 301 to theresistance between the source electrode and the drain electrode of thetransistor 311_1; thus, the level of the potential Vdata reflects thevalue of read data.

In contrast, inverting input terminals (−) of the operational amplifiers312_1 to 312_3 are supplied with a reference potential Vref. The levelsof the potentials of output terminals Vout can be varied depending onthe level of the potential Vdata with respect to the reference potentialVref. Thus, a signal which indirectly includes data can be obtained.

Note that even if data with the same value is stored in memory cells,fluctuation in levels of the read potential Vdata occurs due tovariation in characteristics of the memory cells, so that values ofpotentials can be widely distributed sometimes. The level of thereference potential Vref is determined in consideration of fluctuationin the potential Vdata of node in order to read the value of dataaccurately.

In addition, although in FIG. 9, one operational amplifier used forreading data is used for each outputting data line, the number ofoperational amplifiers is not limited to this. When n-valued data (n isa natural number of 2 or more) is used, the number of operationalamplifiers used for each outputting data line is (n−1).

Then, the operation of the memory device in data erasing will bedescribed. In data erasing, as in data writing, when a signal with apulse is input to the writing word line WL1, the potential of the pulse,specifically, a high-level potential, is supplied to the gate electrodeof the transistor 302. Each transistor 302 whose gate electrode isconnected to the writing word line WL1 is in an on state. On the otherhand, a signal having a potential lower than Vth₁ in FIG. 2Billustrating the operation of a transistor which functions as a memoryelement is input to the reading word line RL1; thus, each transistor 301whose first gate electrode is connected to the reading word line RL1 iskept off.

Fixed potentials such as ground potentials are supplied to the inputtingdata lines Din1 to Din3. FIG. 7 illustrates the case where signals withlow-level potentials are input to all of the inputting data lines Din1to Din3. The low-level fixed potentials at a low level input to theinputting data lines Din1 to Din3 is supplied to the second gateelectrode of the transistor 301 through the transistor 302 in an onstate. The level of the threshold voltage of the transistor 301 is resetin accordance with the potential of the second gate electrode.

When the input of a signal with a pulse to the writing word line WL1 isfinished, each transistor 302 whose gate electrode is connected to thewriting word line WL1 is turned off. Then, signals with pulses aresequentially input to the writing word line WL2 and the writing wordline WL3, and the above operation is similarly repeated in a memory cellwith the writing word line WL2 and each memory cell with the writingword line WL3.

In a timing diagram of FIG. 7, an erasing period is provided to describeoperation of erasing. However, in actual operation of the memory, theerasing period is not necessarily. In this case, another data may bewritten so as to overwrite the written data. A memory device accordingto one embodiment of the present invention has an advantage in that anerasing period is not necessarily provided.

Although in Embodiment 2, a driving method in which writing, storing,reading, and erasing of data are sequentially performed in a pluralityof memory cells is described, the present invention is not limited tothis structure. Only a memory cell with the specified address may besubjected to the above operation.

In addition, in the cell array in FIG. 5, four wirings (the inputtingdata line Din, the outputting data line Dout, the writing word line WL,and the reading word line RL) are connected to each memory cell.However, in a memory device of the present invention, the number ofwirings connected to each memory cell is not limited to four. The numberof wirings and a connection structure may be determined as appropriateso that the memory cell 300 can be supplied with a signal controllingon/off of the transistor 301, a signal for controlling switching of thetransistor 302, and a signal for supplying a potential to the secondgate electrode of the transistor 301, and a potential which has theamount of the drain current of the transistor 301 or resistance betweenthe source electrode and the drain electrode as data can be transmittedto a driver circuit.

Then, a memory device using the cell array in FIG. 5 is given as anexample, and the structure of a driver circuit in a memory deviceaccording to one embodiment of the present invention is described.

FIG. 8 illustrates a block diagram of a structure of a memory deviceaccording to one embodiment of the present invention, as an example.Note that in the block diagram in FIG. 8, circuits in the memory deviceare classified in accordance with their functions and separated blocksare illustrated. However, it is difficult to classify actual circuitsaccording to their functions completely and it is possible for onecircuit to have a plurality of functions.

The memory device in FIG. 8 includes a cell array 500 in which aplurality of memory cells arranged in matrix and a driver circuit 501for controlling driving of the cell array 500. The driver circuit 501includes a reading circuit 502 which generates a signal with data readfrom the cell array 500, a word line driver circuit 503 which selectsthe memory cell included in the cell array 500 every row, a data linedriver circuit 504 which controls writing and erasing of data in aselected memory cell, and a control circuit 505 which controls theoperation of the reading circuit 502, the word line driver circuit 503,and the data line driver circuit 504. Further, the word line drivercircuit 503 includes a word line decoder 506. In addition, the data linedriver circuit 504 includes a data line decoder 508 and a data lineselector 509.

Note that it is acceptable as long as a memory device according to oneembodiment of the present invention includes at least the cell array500. A cell array and a memory module in which part of or all of adriver circuit is connected to a cell array are also categorized into amemory device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Thememory module may be provided with a connection terminal which can bemounted on a printed wiring board or the like and may be protected withresin or the like, that is, may be packaged.

Further, all of or part of the above driver circuit 501 may be formedover the same substrate as or a different substrate from the cell array500. In the case where all of or part of the driver circuit 501 areprovided over a different substrate from the cell array 500, all of orpart of the driver circuit 501 can be connected to the cell array 500through an FPC (flexible printed circuit) or the like. In that case,part of the driver circuit 501 may be connected to an FPC by a COF (chipon film) method. Further, all of or part of the driver circuit 501 maybe connected to the cell array 500 by COG (chip on glass).

When the cell array 500 and the driver circuit 501 are formed over onesubstrate, the number of components of an external circuit connected tothe memory device is reduced; therefore, cost reduction can be realizedby reduction in the number of assembly steps and inspection steps.Further, the number of contact points can be reduced in the connectionportion where the memory device and the external circuit are connectedto each other; thus, decrease in yield can be prevented and reduction inreliability due to mechanical weakness of the connection portion can beprevented. Alternatively, only circuits whose drive frequencies arelower than those of the other circuits relatively low, such as the wordline driver circuit 503, the data line selector 509, can be formed overthe same substrate as the cell array 500. Thus, when part of the drivercircuit 501 is provided over the same substrate as provided with thecell array 500, the following advantages can be enjoyed to some extent:reduction in yield caused by a connection defect can be avoided,mechanical weakness in a connection portion can be avoided, and cost canbe lowered by reduction in the number of assembly steps and inspectionsteps, for example. Further, the performance property of circuits withhigh drive frequencies can be enhanced in comparison with the case wherethe cell array 500 and all of the driver circuit 501 are formed over onesubstrate.

When a signal AD having an address (Ax, Ay) as data is input to thememory device, the control circuit 505 transmits the address Ax which isdata related to a column direction in the address and the address Aywhich is data related to a row direction in the address to the data linedriver circuit 504 and the word line driver circuit 503, respectively.In addition, the control circuit 505 transmits a signal DATA includingdata input to the memory device to the data line driver circuit 504.

Whether data is written, read, or erased is determined by a signal RE(read enable), WE (write enable), EE (erase enable), or the likesupplied to the control circuit 505. Note that when the plurality ofcell arrays 500 are provided in the memory device, a signal CE (chipenable) for selecting the cell array may be input to the control circuit505.

When the operation of data writing is selected by the signal WE, asignal with a pulse is input to the writing word line WL correspondingto the address Ay by the word line decoder 506 included in the word linedriver circuit 503 in response to an instruction from the controlcircuit 505. On the other hand, when the operation of data writing isselected by the signal WE, the data line decoder 508 supplies a signalfor controlling the operation of the data line selector 509 to the dataline selector 509 in the data line driver circuit 504 in response to aninstruction from the control circuit 505. In the data line selector 509,the signal DATA with data is sampled in accordance with the signal fromthe data line decoder 508 and the sampled signal is input to theinputting data line Din corresponding to the address Ax.

When the operation of data reading is selected by the signal RE, asignal with a pulse is input to the reading word line RL correspondingto the address Ay from the word line decoder 506 included in the wordline driver circuit 503 in response to an instruction from the controlcircuit 505. On the other hand, when the operation of data reading isselected by the signal RE, in the reading circuit 502, the potential ofa bit line BL corresponding to the address Ax is controlled in responseto an instruction from the control circuit 505 so that a transistor outof the transistors 310_1 to 310_3 that corresponds to the address Ax isturned on. Then, data stored in a memory cell with the correspondingaddress is read using the potential of the outputting data line Doutcorresponding to the address Ax, and a signal with the data isgenerated.

When the operation of data erasing is selected by a signal EE, a signalwith a pulse is input to the writing word line WL corresponding to theaddress Ay from the word line decoder 506 included in the word linedriver circuit 503 in response to an instruction from the controlcircuit 505. On the other hand, when the operation of data erasing isselected by the signal EE, the data line decoder 508 supplies a signalfor controlling the operation of the data line selector 509 to the dataline selector 509 in the data line driver circuit 504 in response to aninstruction from the control circuit 505. In the data line selector 509,a signal for erasing data is input to the inputting data line Dincorresponding to the address Ax in accordance with the signal from thedata line decoder 508.

Note that, although in the memory device in FIG. 8, the word line drivercircuit 503 controls the input of a signal to the writing word line WLand the input of a signal to the reading word line RL, the presentinvention is not limited to this structure. A driver circuit whichcontrols the input of a signal to the writing word line WL and a drivercircuit which controls the input of a signal to the reading word line RLmay be provided in the memory device.

This embodiment can be implemented by being combined as appropriate withany of the above-described embodiments.

Embodiment 3

A channel-etched bottom-gate transistor is given as an example, and amanufacturing method of a memory device according to one embodiment ofthe present invention will be described. Note that in Embodiment 3, thecase where an oxide semiconductor film is used as an active layer inboth of a transistor which functions as a memory element and atransistor which functions as a switching element is given as an examplefor description.

As illustrated in FIG. 10A, a gate electrode 401 and a gate electrode402 are formed over a substrate 400 having an insulating surface.

Although there is no particular limitation on a substrate that can beused as the substrate 400 having an insulating surface, the substrateneeds to have heat resistance high enough to withstand at least heattreatment to be performed in a later step. For example, a glasssubstrate formed by a glass fusion process or a float process can beused. In the case where a glass substrate is used and the temperature atwhich the heat treatment is to be performed in a later step is high, aglass substrate whose strain point is 730° C. or more is preferablyused. As a glass substrate, a glass material such as aluminosilicateglass, aluminoborosilicate glass, or barium borosilicate glass is used,for example. Note that in general, by containing a larger amount ofbarium oxide (BaO) than boron oxide, a glass substrate which isheat-resistant and more practical can be obtained. Therefore, a glasssubstrate containing BaO and B₂O₃ so that the amount of BaO is largerthan that of B₂O₃ is preferably used.

Note that as the above glass substrate, a substrate formed of aninsulator such as a ceramic substrate, a quartz substrate, or a sapphiresubstrate may be used. Alternatively, crystallized glass or the like maybe used. A metal substrate of a stainless alloy or the like with itssurface provided with an insulating layer may be used.

Further, a substrate formed from a flexible synthetic resin, such asplastic or the like, generally tends to have a low upper temperaturelimit, but can be used as the substrate 400 as long as the substrate canwithstand processing temperatures in a later manufacturing step.Examples of a plastic substrate include polyester typified bypolyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethersulfone (PES), polyethylenenaphthalate (PEN), polycarbonate (PC), polyetheretherketone (PEEK),polysulfone (PSF), polyetherimide (PEI), polyarylate (PAR), polybutyleneterephthalate (PBT), polyimide, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin,polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyvinyl acetate, acrylic resin, andthe like.

An insulating film which serves as a base film may be formed between thesubstrate 400, and the gate electrode 401 and the gate electrode 402. Asthe base film, for example, a single layer of a silicon oxide film, asilicon oxynitride film, a silicon nitride film, a silicon nitride oxidefilm, an aluminum nitride film, or an aluminum nitride oxide film or astacked layer of a plurality of these films can be used. In particular,an insulating film having a high barrier property, for example, asilicon nitride film, a silicon nitride oxide film, an aluminum nitridefilm, or an aluminum nitride oxide film is used for the base film, sothat impurities in an atmosphere, such as moisture or hydrogen, orimpurities included in the substrate 400, such as an alkali metal or aheavy metal, can be prevented from entering the oxide semiconductorfilm, the gate insulating film or at the interface between the oxidesemiconductor film and another insulating film and the vicinity thereof.

In this specification, oxynitride is referred to as a substance whichincludes more oxygen than nitrogen, and nitride oxide is referred to asa substance which includes more nitrogen than oxygen.

The gate electrodes 401 and 402 can be formed with a single layer or astacked layer using one or more of conductive films using a metalmaterial such as molybdenum, titanium, chromium, tantalum, tungsten,neodymium, or scandium, or an alloy material which includes any of thesemetal materials as a main component, or nitride of these metals. Notethat aluminum or copper can also be used as such metal materials ifaluminum or copper can withstand a temperature of heat treatmentperformed in a later step. Aluminum or copper is preferably combinedwith a refractory metal material so as to prevent a problem of low heatresistance and a problem of corrosion. As the refractory metal material,molybdenum, titanium, chromium, tantalum, tungsten, neodymium, scandium,or the like can be used.

For example, as a two-layer structure of the gate electrodes 401 and402, the following structures are preferable: a two-layer structure inwhich a molybdenum film is stacked over an aluminum film, a two-layerstructure in which a molybdenum film is stacked over a copper film, atwo-layer structure in which a titanium nitride film or a tantalumnitride film is stacked over a copper film, and a two-layer structure inwhich a titanium nitride film and a molybdenum film are stacked. As athree-layer structure of the gate electrodes 401 and 402, the followingstructure is preferable: a stacked structure in which an aluminum film,an alloy film of aluminum and silicon, an alloy film of aluminum andtitanium, or an alloy film of aluminum and neodymium is used as a middlelayer and sandwiched between two films selected from a tungsten film, atungsten nitride film, a titanium nitride film, or a titanium film isused as a top layer and a bottom layer.

Further, when a light-transmitting oxide conductive film such as anindium oxide film, a film of an alloy of indium oxide and tin oxide, afilm of an alloy of indium oxide and zinc oxide, a zinc oxide film, azinc aluminum oxide film, a zinc aluminum oxynitride film, a zincgallium oxide film, or the like is used for the gate electrodes 401 and402, the aperture ratio of a pixel portion can be improved.

The thicknesses of the gate electrodes 401 and 402 are each 10 nm to 400nm, preferably 100 nm to 200 nm. In Embodiment 3, after the conductivefilm for the gate electrode is formed to have a thickness of 150 nm bysputtering using a tungsten target, the conductive film is processed(patterned) into a desired shape by etching, whereby the gate electrodes401 and 402 are formed. Note that it is preferable that an end portionof the formed gate electrode be tapered because coverage with a gateinsulating layer formed thereover is improved. Note that a resist maskmay be formed by an inkjet method. Formation of the resist mask by aninkjet method needs no photomask; thus, manufacturing cost can bereduced.

Next, a gate insulating film 403 is formed over the gate electrodes 401and 402. The gate insulating film 403 is formed to have a single-layerstructure or a stacked-layer structure of a silicon oxide film, asilicon nitride film, a silicon oxynitride film, a silicon nitride oxidefilm, an aluminum oxide film, an aluminum nitride film, an aluminumoxynitride film, an aluminum nitride oxide film, a hafnium oxide film,or a tantalum oxide film by plasma CVD, sputtering, or the like. It ispreferable that the gate insulating film 403 include impurities such asmoisture or hydrogen as little as possible. In the case of forming asilicon oxide film by sputtering, a silicon target or a quartz target isused as a target, and oxygen or a mixed gas of oxygen and argon is usedas a sputtering gas.

The oxide semiconductor which is made to be an intrinsic oxidesemiconductor or a substantially intrinsic oxide semiconductor (theoxide semiconductor which is highly purified) by removal of impuritiesis extremely sensitive to the interface state and the interface electriccharge; accordingly, an interface between the highly-purified oxidesemiconductor and the gate insulating film 403 is important. Therefore,the gate insulating film (GI) that is in contact with thehighly-purified oxide semiconductor needs to have higher quality.

For example, high-density plasma CVD using microwaves (2.45 GHz) ispreferable because a dense high-quality insulating film having highwithstand voltage can be formed. This is because when thehighly-purified oxide semiconductor is closely in contact with thehigh-quality gate insulating film, the interface state can be reducedand interface properties can be favorable.

Needless to say, other film formation methods, such as sputtering orplasma CVD, can be applied as long as a high-quality insulating film canbe formed as the gate insulating film. Moreover, it is possible to forman insulating film whose quality and characteristics of an interfacewith the oxide semiconductor are improved through heat treatmentperformed after the formation of the insulating film. In any case, aninsulating film that has favorable film quality as the gate insulatingfilm and can reduce interface state density with the oxide semiconductorto form a favorable interface is formed.

The gate insulating film 403 may be formed to have a structure in whichan insulating film formed using a material having a high barrierproperty and an insulating film having lower proportion of nitrogen suchas a silicon oxide film or a silicon oxynitride film are stacked. Inthis case, the insulating film such as a silicon oxide film or a siliconoxynitride film is formed between the insulating film having a highbarrier property and the oxide semiconductor film. As the insulatingfilm having a high barrier property, a silicon nitride film, a siliconnitride oxide film, an aluminum nitride film, an aluminum nitride oxidefilm, or the like can be given, for example. With an insulating filmhaving a high barrier property, impurities in an atmosphere, such asmoisture or hydrogen, or impurities included in the substrate 400, suchas an alkali metal or a heavy metal, can be prevented from entering theoxide semiconductor film, the gate insulating film 403 or the interfacebetween the oxide semiconductor film and another insulating film and thevicinity thereof. In addition, the insulating film having lowerproportion of nitrogen such as a silicon oxide film or a siliconoxynitride film is formed so as to be in contact with the oxidesemiconductor film, so that the insulating film having a high barrierproperty can be prevented from being in contact with the oxidesemiconductor film directly.

For example, a silicon nitride film (SiN_(y) (y>0)) with a thickness of50 nm to 200 nm inclusive is formed by sputtering as a first gateinsulating film, and a silicon oxide film (SiO_(x) (x>0)) with athickness of 5 nm to 300 nm inclusive is stacked over the first gateinsulating film as a second gate insulating film; thus, these films maybe used as the 100-nm-thick gate insulating film 403. The thickness ofthe gate insulating film 403 may be determined as appropriate dependingon characteristics needed for a transistor and may be approximately 350nm to 400 nm.

In Embodiment 3, the gate insulating film 403 having a structure inwhich a silicon oxide film having a thickness of 100 nm formed bysputtering is stacked over a silicon nitride film having a thickness of50 nm formed by sputtering is formed.

In order that hydrogen, hydroxyl, and moisture are contained as littleas possible in the gate insulating film 403, it is preferable that thesubstrate 400 over which the gate electrodes 401 and 402 formed bepreheated in a preheating chamber of the sputtering apparatus, so thatimpurities such as moisture or hydrogen adsorbed on the substrate 400are eliminated and removed, as pretreatment for film formation. Notethat the temperature of preheating is 100° C. to 400° C. inclusive,preferably 150° C. to 300° C. inclusive. As an evacuation unit providedin the preheating chamber, a cryopump is preferable. Note that thispreheating treatment can be omitted.

Next, over the gate insulating film 403, an oxide semiconductor film 404is formed to have a thickness of 2 nm to 200 nm inclusive, preferably 3nm to 50 nm inclusive, more preferably 3 nm to 20 nm inclusive. Theoxide semiconductor film 404 is formed by sputtering by the use of anoxide semiconductor as a target. Moreover, the oxide semiconductor film404 can be formed by sputtering in a rare gas (e.g., argon) atmosphere,an oxygen atmosphere, or a mixed atmosphere including a rare gas (e.g.,argon) and oxygen.

Note that it is preferable that before the oxide semiconductor film 404is formed by sputtering, dust on a surface of the gate insulating film403 be removed by reverse sputtering by introducing an argon gas andgenerating plasma. The reverse sputtering refers to a method in which,without application of voltage to a target side, an RF power source isused for application of voltage to a substrate side in an argonatmosphere to modify a surface. Note that instead of an argonatmosphere, a nitrogen atmosphere, a helium atmosphere, or the like maybe used. Alternatively, an argon atmosphere to which oxygen, nitrousoxide, or the like is added may be used. Alternatively, an argonatmosphere to which chlorine, carbon tetrafluoride, or the like is addedmay be used.

For the oxide semiconductor film 404, such an oxide semiconductor asabove described can be used.

In Embodiment 3, as the oxide semiconductor film 404, anIn—Ga—Zn—O-based non-single-crystal film with a thickness of 30 nm,which is obtained by a sputtering method using an oxide semiconductortarget including indium (In), gallium (Ga), and zinc (Zn), is used. Inthe case of using sputtering, a target containing SiO₂ at 2 wt % to 10wt % inclusive may be used for film formation. The filling rate of theoxide semiconductor target including In, Ga, and Zn is 90% to 100%inclusive, preferably 95% to 99.9% inclusive. By the use of the oxidesemiconductor target with a high filling rate, a dense an oxidesemiconductor film is formed.

The oxide semiconductor film 404 is formed over the substrate 400 insuch a manner that the substrate is held in the treatment chambermaintained at reduced pressure, a sputtering gas from which hydrogen andmoisture have been removed is introduced into the treatment chamberwhile moisture remaining therein is removed, and metal oxide is used asa target. The substrate temperature may be 100° C. to 600° C. inclusive,preferably 200° C. to 400° C. inclusive in film formation. Filmformation is performed while the substrate is heated, whereby theconcentration of impurities contained in the formed oxide semiconductorlayer can be reduced. In addition, damage by sputtering can be reduced.In order to remove remaining moisture in the treatment chamber, anentrapment vacuum pump is preferably used. For example, a cryopump, anion pump, or a titanium sublimation pump is preferably used. Theevacuation unit may be a turbo pump provided with a cold trap. In thedeposition chamber which is evacuated with the cryopump, for example, ahydrogen atom, a compound containing a hydrogen atom such as water (H₂O)(more preferably, also a compound containing a carbon atom), and thelike are removed, whereby the concentration of impurities in the oxidesemiconductor film formed in the deposition chamber can be reduced.

As one example of the deposition condition, the distance between thesubstrate and the target is 100 mm, the pressure is 0.6 Pa, thedirect-current (DC) power source is 0.5 kW, and the atmosphere is anoxygen atmosphere (the proportion of the oxygen flow rate is 100%). Notethat a pulse direct current (DC) power source is preferable because dustwhich is also called particles and which is generated in film formationcan be reduced and the film thickness can be uniform. The oxidesemiconductor film preferably has a thickness of 5 nm to 30 nminclusive. Since appropriate thickness depends on an oxide semiconductormaterial used, the thickness can be determined as appropriate dependingon the material.

In order for the oxide semiconductor film 404 not to contain impuritiessuch as hydrogen, a hydroxyl group, or moisture as much as possible, itis preferable to preheat the substrate 400 provided with the gateinsulating film 403 in a preheating chamber of the sputtering apparatusbefore the film formation so that impurities such as moisture orhydrogen adsorbed on the substrate 400 is eliminated and removed. Notethat the temperature of preheating is 100° C. to 400° C. inclusive,preferably 150° C. to 300° C. inclusive. As an evacuation unit providedin the preheating chamber, a cryopump is preferable. Note that thispreheating treatment can be omitted. In addition, before an insulatingfilm 411 is formed, the preheating may similarly be performed on thesubstrate 400 over which a source electrode 407, a drain electrode 408,a source electrode 409, and a drain electrode 410 are formed.

Examples of sputtering include an RF sputtering method in which ahigh-frequency power source is used for a sputtering power supply, a DCsputtering method, and a pulsed DC sputtering method in which a bias isapplied in a pulsed manner. An RF sputtering method is mainly used inthe case where an insulating film is formed, and a DC sputtering methodis mainly used in the case where a metal film is formed.

In addition, there is also a multi-source sputtering apparatus in whicha plurality of targets of different materials can be set. With themulti-source sputtering apparatus, films of different materials can beformed to be stacked in the same chamber, or a film of plural kinds ofmaterials can be formed by electric discharge at the same time in thesame chamber.

Alternatively, a sputtering apparatus provided with a magnet systeminside the chamber and used for magnetron sputtering, or a sputteringapparatus used for ECR sputtering in which plasma generated by the useof microwaves is used without using glow discharge can be used.

Further, as a deposition method using sputtering, reactive sputtering bywhich a target substance and a sputtering gas component are chemicallyreacted with each other during film formation to form a thin compoundfilm thereof, or bias sputtering in which voltage is also applied to asubstrate during film formation can be used.

The gate insulating film 403 and the oxide semiconductor film 404 may beformed successively without exposure to the air. Successive filmformation without exposure to the air makes it possible to obtain eachinterface between stacked layers without contamination by atmosphericcomponents or impurities elements floating in the air, such as water,hydrocarbon, or the like. Therefore, variation in characteristics of thetransistor can be reduced.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 10B, the oxide semiconductor film 404 isprocessed (patterned) into a desired shape by etching or the like,whereby island-shaped oxide semiconductor films 405 and 406 are formedover the gate insulating film 403 in a position where the island-shapedoxide semiconductor films 405 and 406 overlap with the gate electrodes401 and 402.

A resist mask for forming the island-shaped oxide semiconductor films405 and 406 may be formed by an inkjet method. Formation of the resistmask by an inkjet method needs no photomask; thus, manufacturing costcan be reduced.

In the case where a contact hole is formed in the gate insulating film403, a step of forming the contact hole can be performed at the time offormation of the island-shaped oxide semiconductor films 405 and 406.

Note that etching for forming the island-shaped oxide semiconductorfilms 405 and 406 may be wet etching, dry etching, or both dry etchingand wet etching. As the etching gas for dry etching, a gas containingchlorine (a chlorine-based gas such as chlorine (Cl₂), boron chloride(BCl₃), silicon chloride (SiCl₄), or carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)) ispreferably used. Alternatively, a gas containing fluorine (afluorine-based gas such as carbon tetrafluoride (CF₄), sulfurhexafluoride (SF₆), nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃), or trifluoromethane(CHF₃)); hydrogen bromide (HBr); oxygen (O₂); any of these gases towhich a rare gas such as helium (He) or argon (Ar) is added; or the likecan be used.

As the dry etching, parallel plate RIE (reactive ion etching) or ICP(inductively coupled plasma) etching can be used. In order to etch thefilms into desired shapes, the etching condition (the amount of electricpower applied to a coil-shaped electrode, the amount of electric powerapplied to an electrode on a substrate side, the temperature of theelectrode on the substrate side, or the like) is adjusted asappropriate.

As an etchant used for wet etching, a mixed solution of phosphoric acid,acetic acid, and nitric acid, or the like can be used. Alternatively,ITO-07N (manufactured by Kanto Chemical Co., Inc.) may be used. Theetchant after the wet etching is removed together with the etchedmaterials by cleaning. The waste liquid including the etchant and thematerial etched off may be purified and the material may be reused. Whena material such as indium included in the oxide semiconductor film iscollected from the waste liquid after the etching and reused, theresources can be efficiently used and the cost can be reduced.

Note that it is preferable that reverse sputtering be performed beforethe formation of a conductive film in a subsequent step so that a resistresidue or the like that attaches to surfaces of the island-shaped oxidesemiconductor film 405, the island-shaped oxide semiconductor film 406,and the gate insulating film 403 is removed.

Then, heat treatment is performed on the oxide semiconductor films 405and 406 in a nitrogen atmosphere, an oxygen atmosphere, an atmosphere ofultra-dry air (air in which the water content is less than or equal to20 ppm, preferably less than or equal to 1 ppm, and more preferably lessthan or equal to 10 ppb), or a rare gas (e.g., argon and helium)atmosphere. Heat treatment performed on the oxide semiconductor films405 and 406 can eliminate moisture or hydrogen in the oxidesemiconductor films 405 and 406. Specifically, heat treatment may beperformed at 350° C. to 850° C. (or the strain point of the glasssubstrate) inclusive, preferably 550° C. to 750° C. inclusive. Forexample, heat treatment may be performed at 600° C. for approximatelythree minutes to six minutes inclusive. Since dehydration ordehydrogenation can be performed in a short time with the RTA method,the heat treatment can be performed even at a temperature over thestrain point of a glass substrate. Alternatively, heat treatment may beperformed for approximately one hour in a state where substratetemperature is approximately 450° C.

In Embodiment 3, heat treatment is performed on the oxide semiconductorfilms 405 and 406 for six minutes with an electric furnace which is oneof heat treatment apparatuses in a nitrogen atmosphere in a state wherethe substrate temperature is approximately 600° C. After the heattreatment, the oxide semiconductor films 405 and 406 are not exposed tothe air in order to prevent reentrance of moisture or hydrogen.

Note that a heat treatment apparatus is not limited to an electricalfurnace, and may include a device for heating an object to be processedby heat conduction or heat radiation from a heating element such as aresistance heating element. For example, an RTA (rapid thermal anneal)apparatus such as a GRTA (gas rapid thermal anneal) apparatus or an LRTA(lamp rapid thermal anneal) apparatus can be used. An LRTA apparatus isan apparatus for heating an object to be processed by radiation of light(an electromagnetic wave) emitted from a lamp such as a halogen lamp, ametal halide lamp, a xenon arc lamp, a carbon arc lamp, a high pressuresodium lamp, or a high pressure mercury lamp. A GRTA apparatus is anapparatus for heat treatment using a high-temperature gas. As the gas,an inert gas which does not react with an object to be processed by heattreatment, such as nitrogen or a rare gas such as argon is used.

For example, the heat treatment can employ GRTA, in which the substrateis moved into an inert gas heated at a high temperature of 650° C. to700° C., and heated for several minutes there, and then the substrate ismoved out of the inert gas. With GRTA, high-temperature heat treatmentfor a short period of time can be achieved.

Note that it is preferable that in the heat treatment, moisture,hydrogen, or the like be not contained in nitrogen or a rare gas such ashelium, neon, or argon. It is preferable that the purity of nitrogen ora rare gas such as helium, neon, or argon which is introduced into aheat treatment apparatus be 6N (99.9999%) or more, preferably 7N(99.99999%) or more (that is, the impurities concentration is 1 ppm orlower, preferably 0.1 ppm or lower).

Further, when an oxide semiconductor containing impurities such asmoisture or hydrogen is subjected to a gate bias-temperature stress test(BT test) for 12 hours under conditions that the temperature is 85° C.and the voltage applied to the gate is 2×10⁶ V/cm, a bond between theimpurities and a main component of the oxide semiconductor is cleaved bya high electric field (B: bias) and a high temperature (T: temperature),and a generated dangling bond induces drift of threshold voltage(V_(th)). However, as described above, characteristics in an interfacebetween a gate insulating film and an oxide semiconductor film areimproved and impurities in the oxide semiconductor film, especiallymoisture, hydrogen, and the like is removed as much as possible so thata transistor which withstands a BT test can be obtained.

Through the above-described steps, the concentration of hydrogen in theoxide semiconductor film can be reduced and the oxide semiconductor filmis highly purified. Thus, the oxide semiconductor film can bestabilized. In addition, heat treatment at a temperature of lower thanor equal to the glass transition temperature makes it possible to forman oxide semiconductor film with a wide band gap in which carrierdensity is extremely low. Thus, transistors can be manufactured using alarge-area substrate; thus, the mass productivity can be improved. Inaddition, by using the highly-purified oxide semiconductor film in whichthe hydrogen concentration is reduced, it is possible to manufacture atransistor with high withstand voltage, a reduced short-channel effect,and a high on-off ratio.

Note that when an oxide semiconductor film is heated, a plane-likecrystal is formed in the upper surface though it depends on a materialof the oxide semiconductor film and heating conditions. The plane-likecrystal is preferably a single crystal which is c-axis-aligned in adirection perpendicular to a surface of the oxide semiconductor film.Further, it is preferable to use a polycrystal in which a-b planescorrespond to each other in the channel formation region, or apolycrystal in which a axes or b axes correspond to each other in thechannel formation region, and which are c-axis-orientated in a directionsubstantially perpendicular to the surface of the oxide semiconductorfilm. Note that when a base surface of the oxide semiconductor film isuneven, a plane-like crystal is a polycrystal.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 10C, a conductive film to be a sourceelectrode and a drain electrode (including a wiring formed in the samelayer as the source electrode and the drain electrode) is formed overthe gate insulating film 403, the oxide semiconductor film 405, and theoxide semiconductor film 406, and then, the conductive film ispatterned. Thus, the source electrode 407 and the drain electrode 408are formed over the oxide semiconductor film 405, and the sourceelectrode 409 and the drain electrode 410 are formed over the oxidesemiconductor film 406. The conductive film may be formed by sputteringor a vacuum evaporation method. As a material of the conductive film tobe the source electrode and the drain electrode (including a wiringformed in the same layer as the source electrode and the drainelectrode), there are an element selected from Al, Cr, Cu, Ta, Ti, Mo,and W; an alloy including any of these elements as a component; an alloyfilm including any of these elements in combination; and the like. Inaddition, a structure in which a film of a refractory metal such as Cr,Ta, Ti, Mo, or W is stacked on a lower side or an upper side of a metalfilm of Al, Cu, or the like may be used. Furthermore, an Al material towhich an element which prevents generation of hillocks or whisker in anAl film, such as Si, Ti, Ta, W, Mo, Cr, Nd, Sc, or Y is added may beused, which leads to improvement in heat resistance.

Further, the conductive film may have a single-layer structure or astacked structure of two or more layers. For example, a single-layerstructure of an aluminum film including silicon, a two-layer structurein which a titanium film is stacked over an aluminum film, a three-layerstructure in which a titanium film, an aluminum film, and a titaniumfilm are stacked in this order, and the like can be given.

Alternatively, the conductive film to be the source electrode and thedrain electrode (including a wiring formed in the same layer as thesource electrode and the drain electrode) may be formed using aconductive metal oxide. As a conductive metal oxide, indium oxide(In₂O₃), tin oxide (SnO₂), zinc oxide (ZnO), an alloy of indium oxideand tin oxide (In₂O₃—SnO₂, abbreviated to ITO), an alloy of indium oxideand zinc oxide (In₂O₃—ZnO), or the metal oxide material to which siliconor silicon oxide is added can be used.

In the case where heat treatment is performed after the formation of theconductive film, it is preferable that the conductive film have heatresistance high enough to withstand the heat treatment.

Then, a resist mask are formed over the conductive film. The sourceelectrode 407, the drain electrode 408, the source electrode 409, andthe drain electrode 410 are formed by selective etching. After that, theresist mask is removed.

Ultraviolet, a KrF laser beam, or an ArF laser beam is used for lightexposure for forming the resist mask in the photolithography step. Eachchannel length L of transistors to be formed in a later step isdetermined by a distance between a lower end of the source electrode anda lower end of the drain electrode that are adjacent to each other overthe oxide semiconductor films 405 and 406. In the case where the channellength L is shorter than 25 nm and light exposure for forming the resistmask in the photolithography step is performed, extreme ultraviolet rayshaving a wavelength as extremely short as several nanometers to severaltens of nanometers are used. Light exposure with extreme ultravioletleads to a high resolution and a large depth of focus. Thus, the channellength L of the transistor that is completed in a later step can be 10nm to 1000 nm inclusive and the operation speed of a circuit can beincreased and furthermore the value of off-state current is extremelysmall, so that low power consumption can be achieved.

Note that each material and etching conditions are adjusted asappropriate so that the oxide semiconductor films 405 and 406 are notremoved in etching of the conductive film as much as possible.

In Embodiment 3, a titanium film is used as the conduction film, and wetetching is performed on the conductive film by the use of a solution(ammonia peroxide mixture) including ammonia and oxygenated water, sothat the source electrode 407, the drain electrode 408, the sourceelectrode 409, and the drain electrode 410 are formed. As the solutionincluding the ammonia peroxide mixture, specifically, a solution inwhich oxygenated water (31 wt % hydrogen peroxide), ammonia water (28 wt% ammonium), and water are mixed at a volume ratio of 5:2:2 is used.Alternatively, dry etching may be performed on the conductive film usinga gas containing chlorine (Cl₂), boron chloride (BCl₃), or the like.

When the source electrode 407, the drain electrode 408, the sourceelectrode 409, and the drain electrode 410 are formed through the abovepatterning, part of exposed portion in the island-shaped oxidesemiconductor films 405 is etched, so that a groove (a recessed portion)is sometimes formed. The resist mask for forming the source electrode407, the drain electrode 408, the source electrode 409, and the drainelectrode 410 may be formed by an inkjet method. Formation of the resistmask by an inkjet method needs no photomask; thus, manufacturing costcan be reduced.

In addition, in order to reduce the number of photomasks and the numberof steps for the photolithography step, etching may be performed by theuse of a resist mask formed using a multi-tone mask through which lightis transmitted to have a plurality of intensities. A resist mask formedby the use of a multi-tone mask has a plurality of thicknesses andfurther can be changed in shape by etching; therefore, the resist maskcan be used in a plurality of etching steps for processing intodifferent patterns. Therefore, a resist mask corresponding to at leasttwo or more kinds of different patterns can be formed by one multi-tonemask. Thus, the number of light-exposure masks can be reduced and thenumber of corresponding photolithography steps can be also reduced,whereby simplification of a process can be realized.

Next, plasma treatment is performed, using a gas such as N₂O, N₂, or Ar.By the plasma treatment, water or the like which attaches to an exposedsurface of the oxide semiconductor film is removed. Alternatively, theplasma treatment may be performed using a mixture gas of oxygen andargon as well.

Note that after the plasma treatment is performed, as illustrated inFIG. 10D, the insulating film 411 is formed so as to cover the sourceelectrode 407, the drain electrode 408, the source electrode 409, thedrain electrode 410, the oxide semiconductor film 405, and the oxidesemiconductor film 406. The insulating film 411 preferably includesimpurities such as moisture or hydrogen as little as possible, and theinsulating film 411 may be formed using a single-layer insulating filmor a plurality of insulating films stacked. When hydrogen is included inthe insulating film 411, entry of the hydrogen to the oxidesemiconductor film or extraction of oxygen in the oxide semiconductorfilm by the hydrogen occurs, whereby a back channel portion of the oxidesemiconductor film has lower resistance (n-type conductivity); thus, aparasitic channel might be formed. Therefore, it is preferable that afilm formation method in which hydrogen is not used be employed in orderto form the insulating film 411 containing hydrogen as little aspossible. A material having a high barrier property is preferably usedfor the insulating film 411. For example, as an insulating film having ahigh barrier property, a silicon nitride film, a silicon nitride oxidefilm, an aluminum nitride film, an aluminum nitride oxide film, or thelike can be used. When a plurality of insulating films stacked is used,an insulating film having lower proportion of nitrogen than theinsulating film having a high barrier property, such as a silicon oxidefilm or a silicon oxynitride film, is formed on the side close to theoxide semiconductor films 405 and 406. Then, the insulating film havinga high barrier property is formed so as to overlap with the sourceelectrode 407, the drain electrode 408, the source electrode 409, thedrain electrode 410, the oxide semiconductor film 405, and the oxidesemiconductor film 406 with the insulating film having lower proportionof nitrogen between the insulating film having a barrier property andthe source electrodes, the drain electrodes, and the oxide semiconductorfilms. With the insulating film having a high barrier property, theimpurities such as moisture or hydrogen can be prevented from enteringthe oxide semiconductor film 405 and the oxide semiconductor film 406,the gate insulating film 403, or the interface between anotherinsulating film and each of the oxide semiconductor film 405 and 406,and the vicinity thereof. In addition, the insulating film having lowerproportion of nitrogen such as a silicon oxide film or a siliconoxynitride film is formed so as to be in contact with the oxidesemiconductor films 405 and 406, so that the insulating film formedusing a material having a high barrier property can be prevented frombeing in contact with the oxide semiconductor films 405 and 406directly.

In Embodiment 3, the insulating film 411 having a structure in which asilicon nitride film having a thickness of 100 nm formed by sputteringis stacked over a silicon oxide film having a thickness of 200 nm formedby sputtering is formed. The substrate temperature in film formation maybe in the range of room temperature to 300° C. inclusive, and inEmbodiment 3, is 100° C.

Note that heat treatment may be performed after the insulating film 411is formed. The heat treatment is performed in a nitrogen atmosphere, anoxygen atmosphere, an atmosphere of ultra-dry air (air in which thewater content is less than or equal to 20 ppm, preferably less than orequal to 1 ppm, and more preferably less than or equal to 10 ppb), or arare gas (e.g., argon and helium) atmosphere, at preferably 200° C. to400° C. inclusive, for example, 250° C. to 350° C. inclusive. InEmbodiment 3, heat treatment is performed in a nitrogen atmosphere at250° C., for one hour. Alternatively, before the source electrode 407,the drain electrode 408, the source electrode 409, and the drainelectrode 410 are formed, an RTA process which is heat treatmentperformed at high temperature and in a short time may be performed aswhen the oxide semiconductor film is subjected to the heat treatment.Heat treatment is performed after the insulating film 411 includingoxygen is provided so as to be in contact with the exposure region ofthe oxide semiconductor film 405, which is formed between the sourceelectrode 407 and the drain electrode 408, or after the insulating film411 including oxygen is provided so as to be in contact with theexposure region of the oxide semiconductor film 406, which is formedbetween the source electrode 409 and the drain electrode 410;accordingly, oxygen is supplied to the oxide semiconductor film 405 andthe oxide semiconductor film 406 even when the heat treatment performedon the oxide semiconductor film makes oxygen deficiency occur in theoxide semiconductor films 405 and 406. Oxygen is supplied to part of theoxide semiconductor films 405 and 406 which is in contact with theinsulating film 411 to reduce oxygen deficiency serving as a donor, sothat a structure which satisfies the stoichiometric composition ratiocan be realized. As a result, an oxide semiconductor films 405 and 406can be made to be an intrinsic semiconductor film or a substantiallyintrinsic semiconductor film. Accordingly, electric characteristics ofthe transistor can be improved and variation in the electriccharacteristics thereof can be reduced. There is no particularlimitation on timing for this heat treatment as long as it is performedafter formation of the insulating film 411. When this heat treatmentalso serves as heat treatment in another step, for example, heattreatment in formation of a resin film or heat treatment for reducingresistance of a transparent conductive film, the oxide semiconductorfilms 405 and 406 can be intrinsic (i-type) or substantially intrinsicwithout increase of the number of steps.

FIG. 11A illustrates a top view of the memory device after the steps toFIG. 10D are finished. Note that a cross-sectional view taken alongdashed line A1-A2 in FIG. 11A corresponds to FIG. 10D.

Then, a contact hole 412 is formed in the insulating film 411 by etchingor the like to expose part of the drain electrode 408. Next, asillustrated in FIG. 10E, after a back gate electrode 413 is formed bypatterning a conductive film formed over the insulating film 411 so asto overlap with the oxide semiconductor film 406, an insulating film 414is formed so as to cover the back gate electrode 413. The back gateelectrode 413 is connected to the drain electrode 408 in the contacthole 412. The back gate electrode 413 can be formed using a material anda structure which are similar to the gate electrodes 401 and 402 or thesource electrode 407, the drain electrode 408, the source electrode 409,and the drain electrode 410.

The thickness of the back gate electrode 413 is set to 10 nm to 400 nm,preferably 100 nm to 200 nm. In Embodiment 3, the back gate electrode413 is formed in a such a manner that a conductive film in which atitanium film, an aluminum film, and a titanium film are stacked isformed, a resist mask is formed by a photolithography method or thelike, and unnecessary portions are removed by etching so that theconductive film is processed (patterned) to a desired shape.

The insulating film 414 is preferably formed using a material with ahigh barrier property that can prevent moisture, hydrogen, oxygen, andthe like in an atmosphere from affecting the characteristics of thetransistor. For example, the insulating film 414 can be formed to have asingle-layer structure or a stacked-layer structure of a silicon nitridefilm, a silicon nitride oxide film, an aluminum nitride film, analuminum nitride oxide film, or the like, as an insulating film having ahigh barrier property, by plasma CVD, sputtering, or the like. In orderto obtain an effect of a barrier property, the insulating film 414 ispreferably formed to have a thickness of 15 nm to 400 nm, for example.

In Embodiment 3, an insulating film is formed to a thickness of 300 nmby plasma CVD. The insulating film is formed under the followingconditions: the flow rate of a silane gas is 4 sccm; the flow rate ofdinitrogen monoxide (N₂O) is 800 sccm; and the substrate temperature is400° C.

Through the above steps, a transistor 420 which functions as a switchingelement, a transistor 421 which functions as a memory element, and acapacitor 430 are formed. FIG. 11B illustrates a top view of the memorycell illustrated in FIG. 10E. FIG. 10E corresponds to a cross-sectionalview taken along dashed line A1-A2 in FIG. 11B.

The transistor 420 includes the gate electrode 401 formed over thesubstrate 400 having an insulating surface, the gate insulating film 403over the gate electrode 401, the oxide semiconductor film 405 whichoverlaps with the gate electrode 401 and which is over the gateinsulating film 403, and a pair of the source electrode 407 and thedrain electrode 408 formed over the oxide semiconductor film 405. Thetransistor 420 may include the insulating film 411 provided over theoxide semiconductor film 405, as its component. The transistor 420illustrated in FIG. 10E has a channel-etched structure in which theoxide semiconductor film 405 is partly etched between the sourceelectrode 407 and the drain electrode 408.

Note that although the transistor 420 is described as a single-gatetransistor, a multi-gate transistor with a plurality of channelformation regions can be formed as necessary by having a plurality ofthe gate electrodes 401 electrically connected to each other.

Further, the transistor 421 includes the gate electrode 402 which isprovided over the substrate 400 having an insulating surface; the gateinsulating film 403 over the gate electrode 402; the oxide semiconductorfilm 406 which overlaps with the gate electrode 402 and which is overthe gate insulating film 403; a pair of electrodes which are the sourceelectrode 409 and the drain electrode 410 which are provided over theoxide semiconductor film 406; the insulating film 411 formed over theoxide semiconductor film 406, the source electrode 409, and the drainelectrode 410; and the back gate electrode 413 which overlaps with theoxide semiconductor film 406 and the gate electrode 402 and which isover the insulating film 411. The insulating film 414 formed over theback gate electrode 413 may be included as a component of the transistor421. The transistor 421 illustrated in FIG. 10E has a channel-etchedstructure in which the oxide semiconductor film 406 is partly etchedbetween the source electrode 409 and the drain electrode 410.

Note that although the transistor 421 is described as a single-gatetransistor, a multi-gate transistor with a plurality of channelformation regions can be formed as necessary by having a plurality ofgate electrodes 402 electrically connected to each other.

The capacitor 430 is formed in a region in which the source electrode409 of the transistor 421 and the back gate electrode 413 of thetransistor 421 overlap with each other with the insulating film 411provided therebetween.

The gate electrode 402 included in the transistor 421 functions as afirst electrode which can select the operation of a memory element suchas writing, reading, storing, and erasing by control of potential of theelectrode 402. The back gate electrode 413 functions as a secondelectrode which can control the threshold voltage of the transistor 421used as a memory element. Note that although in Embodiment 3, a memorycell where the transistor 421 functions as a memory element having thegate electrode 402 as the first electrode formed before the formation ofthe oxide semiconductor film 406, and the back gate electrode 413 as thesecond electrode formed after the formation of the oxide semiconductorfilm 406 is given as an example, the present invention is not limited tothis structure. For example, a structure may also be employed in whichthe gate electrode 402 formed before the formation of the oxidesemiconductor film 406 functions as the second electrode and the backgate electrode 413 formed after the formation of the oxide semiconductor406 functions as the first electrode in the transistor 421. Note that inthis case, the gate electrode 402 instead of the back gate electrode 413is connected to the drain electrode 408 of the transistor 420.

In addition, in FIG. 11B, the case where the back gate electrode 413overlaps the entire oxide semiconductor film 406 is illustrated as anexample, the present invention is not limited to this structure. Anystructure may be employed as long as the back gate electrode 413overlaps at least part of the channel formation region included in theoxide semiconductor.

Note that the band gap of an oxide semiconductor, the band gap ofsilicon carbide, and the band gap of gallium nitride are 3.0 eV to 3.5eV, 3.26 eV, and 3.39 eV, respectively: they are approximately threetimes as wide as the band gap of silicon. Compound semiconductors suchas silicon carbide and gallium nitride are in common with an oxidesemiconductor in that they are wide-gap semiconductors, thecharacteristics of which have advantages of improvement in withstandvoltage of the transistor, reduction in loss of electric power, and thelike.

Subsequently, as in Embodiment 3, how characteristics of the transistorare influenced by high purification of the oxide semiconductor film byremoval of impurities such as moisture, hydrogen, or the like containedin the oxide semiconductor film as much as possible will be described.

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an inverted staggeredtransistor including an oxide semiconductor. An oxide semiconductor film(OS) is provided over a gate electrode (GE) with a gate insulating film(GI) therebetween, a source electrode (S) and a drain electrode (D) areprovided thereover, and an insulating film is provided so as to coverthe source electrode (S) and the drain electrode (D).

FIG. 13 is an energy band diagram (schematic diagram) along a sectionA-A′ illustrated in FIG. 12. In FIG. 13, a black circle (●) and a whitecircle (◯) represent an electron and a hole and have electric charges −qand +q, respectively. With positive voltage (V_(D)>0) applied to thedrain electrode (D), the dashed line shows the case where no voltage isapplied to the gate electrode (GE) (V_(G)=0) and the solid line showsthe case where positive voltage is applied to the gate electrode (GE)(V_(G)>0). In the case where voltage is not applied to the gateelectrode (GE), carriers (electrons) are not injected from the sourceelectrode (S) to the oxide semiconductor film (OS) side because of highpotential barrier, so that no current flows, which means an off state.In contrast, when positive voltage is applied to the gate electrode(GE), the potential barrier is decreased, so that current flows, whichmeans an on state.

FIGS. 14A and 14B are energy band diagrams (schematic diagrams) along asection B-B′ illustrated in FIG. 12. FIG. 14A illustrates a state wherea positive potential (V_(G)>0) is applied to a gate electrode (GE) andan on state where carriers (electrons) flow between the source electrode(S) and the drain electrode (D). FIG. 14B illustrates a state where anegative potential (V_(G)<0) is applied to the gate electrode (GE) andan off state (minority carriers do not flow).

FIG. 15 illustrates relations between the vacuum level and the workfunction of a metal (ϕ_(M)) and between the vacuum level and theelectron affinity (χ) of an oxide semiconductor.

At normal temperature, electrons in the metal are degenerated and theFermi level is located in the conduction band. On the other hand, ingeneral, a conventional oxide semiconductor is an n-type semiconductor,and the Fermi level (Ef) thereof is located nearer the conduction band(Ec) and away from an intrinsic Fermi level (Ei) which is located in thecenter of the band gap. Note that it is known that part of hydrogen inthe oxide semiconductor is a donor and one of factors that make then-type oxide semiconductor. Further, oxygen deficiency is known as oneof the causes to produce an n-type an oxide semiconductor.

In contrast, according to one embodiment of the present invention,oxygen deficiency is removed and hydrogen which is an n-type impurity,is removed from the oxide semiconductor so as to highly purify so thatimpurities other than the main components of the oxide semiconductor isnot included as much as possible; accordingly, an oxide semiconductor ismade to be extremely close to an intrinsic oxide semiconductor. That is,the oxide semiconductor is made to be extremely close to an intrinsicsemiconductor not by addition of impurities but by removal of oxygendeficiency and impurities such as moisture or hydrogen as much aspossible to have high purity, so that an oxide semiconductor which is anintrinsic (i-type) semiconductor or is a substantially intrinsic(i-type) semiconductor is obtained. With the above structure, the Fermilevel (Ef) can be substantially close to the same level as the intrinsicFermi level (Ei), as indicated by arrows.

In the case where the band gap (Eg) of an oxide semiconductor is 3.15 V,the electron affinity (χ) is said to be 4.3 eV. The work function oftitanium (Ti) included in the source electrode and the drain electrodeis substantially equal to the electron affinity (χ) of the oxidesemiconductor. In that case, a Schottky barrier to electrons is notformed at an interface between the metal and the oxide semiconductor.

In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 14A, the electron moves along thelowest part of the oxide semiconductor, which is energetically stable,at an interface between the gate insulating film and the highly-purifiedoxide semiconductor.

In FIG. 14B, when a negative potential is applied to the gate electrode(GE), holes which are minority carriers are substantially zero;therefore, current is substantially close to zero.

Then, the intrinsic carrier density in an oxide semiconductor iscalculated. The band gap of an In—Ga—Zn—O-based oxide semiconductor is3.05 eV and the intrinsic carrier density is calculated based on thisvalue. It is known that energy distribution f(E) of electrons in a solidobeys the Fermi-Dirac statistics represented by the following formula.

$\begin{matrix}\left\lbrack {{FORMULA}\mspace{14mu} 1} \right\rbrack & \; \\{{f(E)} = \frac{1}{1 + {\exp\left( \frac{E - E_{F}}{kT} \right)}}} & (1)\end{matrix}$

In the case of a normal semiconductor whose carrier density is not veryhigh (which does not degenerate), the following relational expression issatisfied.[FORMULA 2]|E−E _(F) |>kT  (2)

Therefore, the Fermi-Dirac distribution of the Formula 1 is approximatedby the formula of Boltzmann distribution expressed by the followingformula.

$\begin{matrix}\left\lbrack {{FORMULA}\mspace{14mu} 3} \right\rbrack & \; \\{{f(E)} = {\exp\left\lbrack {- \frac{E - E_{F}}{kT}} \right\rbrack}} & (3)\end{matrix}$

When intrinsic carrier density (n_(i)) of the semiconductor iscalculated using the Formula 3, the following formula can be obtained.

$\begin{matrix}\left\lbrack {{FORMULA}\mspace{14mu} 4} \right\rbrack & \; \\{n_{i} = {\sqrt{N_{C}N_{V}}{\exp\left( {- \frac{E_{g}}{2{kT}}} \right)}}} & (4)\end{matrix}$

Then, the values of effective density of states (Nc and Nv) and a bandgap (Eg) of Si and an In—Ga—Zn—O-based oxide semiconductor weresubstituted into the Formula 4 and intrinsic carrier density wascalculated. The results are shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Si IGZO Nc (300K) [cm⁻³]  2.8 × 10¹⁹ 5.0 × 10¹⁸ Nv (300K) [cm⁻³]1.04 × 10¹⁹ 5.0 × 10¹⁸ Eg (300K) [eV] 1.08 3.05 n_(i) (300K) [cm⁻³] 1.45× 10¹⁰  1.2 × 10⁻⁷

It is found that an In—Ga—Zn—O-based oxide semiconductor has extremelylow intrinsic carrier density as compared to Si. In the case where thevalue of 3.05 eV is selected as a band gap of an In—Ga—Zn—O-based oxidesemiconductor, it can be said that the carrier density of Si isapproximately 10¹⁷ times as large as that of an In—Ga—Zn—O-based oxidesemiconductor, assuming that the Fermi-Dirac distribution law isapplicable to the intrinsic carrier density.

Then, the method of measuring the off-state current of a transistorincluding a highly-purified oxide semiconductor film and the resultthereof will be described.

FIG. 18 illustrates the structure of a measurement circuit which wasused in measuring. The measurement circuit in FIG. 18 includes atransistor having a highly-purified oxide semiconductor film as aswitching element for holding electric charge in a storage capacitor.With the measurement circuit, the off-state current of the transistorwas measured by the change of the amount of electric charge in thestorage capacitor per unit hour.

Specifically, the measurement circuit in FIG. 18 has a structure inwhich measuring systems 801-1 to 801-3 for measuring off-state currentare connected in parallel. The measuring systems 801-1 to 801-3 eachinclude a capacitor 802 and a transistor 803 to be measured. Themeasuring systems 801-1 to 801-3 each include transistors 804 to 806.

In each measuring system, a gate electrode of the transistor 803 isconnected to a node supplied with a potential Vgb. A source electrode ofthe transistor 803 is connected to a node supplied with a potential Vband a drain electrode of the transistor 803 is connected to a node A. Agate electrode of the transistor 804 is connected to a node suppliedwith a potential Vga. A source electrode of the transistor 804 isconnected to the node A and a drain electrode of the transistor 804 isconnected to a node supplied with a potential Va. A gate electrode and adrain electrode of the transistor 805 are connected to the node suppliedwith the potential Va. A gate electrode of the transistor 806 isconnected to the node A and a source electrode of the transistor 806 isconnected to the node supplied with the potential Vb. A source electrodeof the transistor 805 and a drain electrode of the transistor 806 areconnected to each other and potentials of these two electrodes areoutput from each measuring system as a potential Vout1, a potentialVout2, or a potential Vout3. One of a pair of electrodes of thecapacitor 802 is connected to the node A and the other is connected tothe node supplied with the potential Vb.

In addition, in Embodiment 3, the transistor 803 to be measured includesa highly-purified 30-nm-thick oxide semiconductor film and a100-nm-thick gate insulating film. The channel formation region of thetransistor 803 had a channel length L of 10 μm and a channel width W of50 μm. In addition, the capacitances of the capacitors 802 included inthe measuring systems were 100 fF, 1 pF, and 3 pF, respectively.

Initialization is performed before measurement. First, the potential Vgbhas a level high enough to turn the transistor 803 on. Thus, thetransistor 803 is turned on, and the node A is supplied with thepotential Vb, that is, a low-level potential VSS. After that, thepotential Vgb is made to have a level low enough to turn the transistor803 off. Next, the potential Vga is made to have a level high enough toturn the transistor 804 on. Thus, the node A is supplied with thepotential Va, that is, the high-level potential VDD, and the potentialdifference between the low-level potential VSS and the high-levelpotential VDD is applied between the pair of electrodes of the capacitor802. After that, the potential Vga is made to have a level low enough toturn the transistor 804 off, so that the transistor 804 is turned offand the node A goes into a floating state.

Next, measuring operation is performed. When measurement is performed,the potential Va and the potential Vb are each made to have a level withwhich electric charge flows to and from the node A. In Embodiment 3, thepotential Va and the potential Vb were the low-level potential VSS. Notethat although the potential Va was temporarily the high-level potentialVDD in timing of measuring the potential Vout, the potential Va and thepotential Vb were kept at the low-level potential VSS except at theabove timing.

Since the slight off-state current flow through the transistor 803, theamount of electric charge held in the node A is changed over time. Inaddition, since the potential of the node A is changed depending on thechange of the amount of electric charge held in the node A, the levelsof the potentials Vout1 to Vout3 were changed in accordance with thevalue of the off-state current of the transistor 803.

Specifically, in the measurement, the potential VDD was 5 V and thepotential VSS was 0 V. The potentials Vout1 to Vout3 were measured asfollows: the potential Va was basically the potential VSS and waschanged to be the potential VDD for 100 msec at intervals of 10 sec to300 sec.

FIG. 19 illustrates the relation between elapsed time Time in measuringthe current and the output potential Vout. The potential is changedafter about 90 hours.

The relation between the potential V_(A) of the node A and the outputpotential Vout is obtained in advance, whereby the potential V_(A) ofthe node A can be obtained using the output potential Vout. In general,the potential V_(A) of the node A can be expressed as a function of theoutput potential Vout by the following equation.[FORMULA 5]V _(A) =F(Vout)

Electric charge Q_(A) of the node A can be expressed by the followingequation by the use of the potential V_(A) of the node A, capacitanceC_(A) connected to the node A, and a constant (const). Here, thecapacitance C_(A) connected to the node A is the sum of the capacitanceof the capacitor 802 and other capacitances (e.g., the input capacitanceof a circuit including the transistor 805 and the transistor 806).[FORMULA 6]Q _(A) =C _(A) V _(A)+const

Since a current I_(A) of the node A is obtained by differentiatingelectric charge flowing to the node A (or electric charge flowing fromthe node A) with respect to time, the current I_(A) of the node A isexpressed by the following equation.

$\begin{matrix}\left\lbrack {{FORMULA}\mspace{14mu} 7} \right\rbrack & \; \\{{I \equiv \frac{\Delta\; Q_{A}}{\Delta\; t}} = \frac{C_{\overset{.}{A}}\Delta{F({Vout})}}{\Delta\; t}} & \;\end{matrix}$

In this manner, the current I_(A) of the node A can be obtained from thecapacitance C_(A) connected to the node A and the potentials Vout1 toVout 3.

FIG. 20 illustrates the off-state current which is calculated in theabove measurement of the current. Further, At used when the current Iflowing through the transistor 803 is about 30,000 seconds. Note thatFIG. 20 illustrates the relation between off-state current I and voltageV between a source electrode and a drain electrode. According to FIG.20, it is found that an off-state current is about 40 zA/μm, wherevoltage between the source electrode and the drain electrode is 4 V.

In this manner, the oxide semiconductor film is highly purified so thatimpurities such as moisture or hydrogen except a main component of theoxide semiconductor are contained as little as possible, whereby theoperation of the transistor can be favorable.

This embodiment can be implemented by being combined as appropriate withany of the above-described embodiments.

Embodiment 4

In Embodiment 4, an example of a mobile memory medium which is one ofsemiconductor devices using memory devices according to one embodimentof the present invention will be described.

FIG. 16A illustrates a structure of a memory medium according to oneembodiment of the present invention, as an example. In the memory mediumin FIG. 16A, the following components are mounted on a printed wiringboard 706: a memory device 701 according to one embodiment of thepresent invention; a connector 702 which performs electrical connectionbetween a driver circuit and the memory medium; an interface 703 whichperforms a signal process on each signal input or output through theconnector 702 in accordance with the various signals; a light-emittingdiode 704 which lights in accordance with operation of the memory mediumor the like; and a controller 705 which controls operation of circuitsand semiconductor elements in the memory medium such as the memorydevice 701, the interface 703, and the light-emitting diode 704.Further, a quartz oscillator which is used for generating a clock signalfor controlling the operation of the controller 705, a regulator forcontrolling the level of the power supply voltage in the memory medium,or the like may additionally be provided.

As illustrated in FIG. 16B, the printed wiring board 706 in FIG. 16A maybe protected by being covered with a cover material 707 using resin orthe like so as to expose part of the connector 702 and part of thelight-emitting diode 704.

Since in the memory device 701 according to one embodiment of thepresent invention, power consumption in operation can be suppressed,reduction in power consumption of the memory medium using the memorydevice 701, and further, reduction in power consumption of a drivingdevice connected to the memory medium can be realized. Further, since inthe memory device 701 according to one embodiment of the presentinvention, data can be stored for a long time and the number ofrewriting times can be increased, the reliability of the memory mediumcan be enhanced. Moreover, since data can be stored for a long time andthe number of rewriting times can be increased, operation condition ofthe memory medium is eased; thus, the versatility of the memory mediumcan be improved.

This embodiment can be implemented by being combined as appropriate withany of the above-described embodiments.

EXAMPLE 1

By the use of a semiconductor device according to one embodiment of thepresent invention, a highly-reliable electronic device, an electronicdevice with low power consumption, and an electronic device withhigh-speed driving can be provided. In particular, in the case where aportable electronic device which has difficulty in continuouslyreceiving power, an advantage in increasing the continuous duty periodcan be obtained when a semiconductor device with low power consumptionaccording to one embodiment of the present invention is added as acomponent of the device.

Moreover, with the semiconductor device of the present invention, theheat treatment temperature in the manufacturing process can besuppressed; therefore, a highly reliable thin film transistor withexcellent characteristics can be formed even when the thin filmtransistor is formed over a substrate formed using a flexible syntheticresin heat resistance of which is lower than that of glass, such asplastic. Accordingly, by the use of the manufacturing method accordingto one embodiment of the present invention, a highly reliable,lightweight, and flexible semiconductor device can be provided. Examplesof a plastic substrate include polyester typified by polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), polyethersulfone (PES), polyethylene naphthalate(PEN), polycarbonate (PC), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polysulfone(PSF), polyetherimide (PEI), polyarylate (PAR), polybutyleneterephthalate (PBT), polyimide, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin,polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyvinyl acetate, acrylic resin, andthe like.

The semiconductor device according to one embodiment of the presentinvention can be used for display devices, laptops, or image reproducingdevices provided with recording media (typically, devices whichreproduce the content of recording media such as digital versatile discs(DVDs) and have displays for displaying the reproduced images). Otherthan the above, as an electronic device which can use the semiconductordevice according to one embodiment of the present invention, mobilephones, portable game machines, portable information terminals, e-bookreaders, video cameras, digital still cameras, goggle-type displays(head mounted displays), navigation systems, audio reproducing devices(e.g., car audio systems and digital audio players), copiers,facsimiles, printers, multifunction printers, automated teller machines(ATM), vending machines, and the like can be given. Specific examples ofthese electronic devices are illustrated in FIGS. 17A to 17C.

FIG. 17A illustrates a portable game machine including a housing 7031, ahousing 7032, a display portion 7033, a display portion 7034, amicrophone 7035, speakers 7036, an operation key 7037, a stylus 7038,and the like. The semiconductor device according to one embodiment ofthe present invention can also be used for an integrated circuit forcontrolling the driving of the portable game machine. The semiconductordevice according to one embodiment of the present invention can be usedfor an integrated circuit for controlling driving of the portable gamemachine, so that a highly reliable portable game machine, a portablegame machine with low power consumption, and a higher-performanceportable game machine can be provided. Note that although the portablegame machine illustrated in FIG. 17A includes two display portions 7033and 7034, the number of display portions included in the portable gamemachine is not limited to two.

FIG. 17B illustrates a mobile phone including a housing 7041, a displayportion 7042, an audio-input portion 7043, an audio-output portion 7044,operation keys 7045, a light-receiving portion 7046, and the like. Lightreceived in the light-receiving portion 7046 is converted intoelectrical signals, whereby external images can be loaded. Thesemiconductor device according to one embodiment of the presentinvention can also be used for an integrated circuit for controlling thedriving of the mobile phone. The semiconductor device according to oneembodiment of the present invention can be used for an integratedcircuit for controlling driving of the mobile phone, so that a highlyreliable mobile phone, a mobile phone with low power consumption, and ahigher-performance mobile phone can be provided.

FIG. 17C illustrates a portable information terminal including a housing7051, a display portion 7052, operation keys 7053, and the like. A modemmay be incorporated in the housing 7051 of the portable informationterminal illustrated in FIG. 17C. The semiconductor device according toone embodiment of the present invention can also be used for anintegrated circuit for controlling the driving of the portableinformation terminal. The semiconductor device according to oneembodiment of the present invention can be used for an integratedcircuit for controlling driving of the portable information terminal, sothat a highly reliable portable information terminal, a portableinformation terminal with low power consumption, and ahigher-performance portable information terminal can be provided.

This embodiment can be implemented by being combined as appropriate withany of the above-described embodiments.

This application is based on Japanese Patent Application serial no.2009-297140 filed with the Japan Patent Office on Dec. 28, 2009, theentire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A manufacturing method of a semiconductordevice, comprising: forming a gate electrode; forming a gate insulatingfilm over the gate electrode; forming an oxide semiconductor film overthe gate insulating film, the oxide semiconductor film comprisingindium, gallium, and zinc; performing a first heat treatment after theoxide semiconductor film is formed at a temperature higher than or equalto 350° C. and lower than or equal to 850° C.; forming a sourceelectrode and a drain electrode over the oxide semiconductor film;forming a first insulating film which comprises oxygen over the oxidesemiconductor film, the source electrode, and the drain electrode; andperforming a second heat treatment after the first insulating film isformed at a temperature higher than or equal to 200° C. and lower thanor equal to 400° C., wherein the oxide semiconductor film comprises acrystal whose c-axis is aligned perpendicular to an upper surface of theoxide semiconductor film.
 2. The manufacturing method of thesemiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein moisture or hydrogenin the oxide semiconductor film is reduced by the first heat treatment.3. The manufacturing method of the semiconductor device according toclaim 1, wherein oxygen is supplied to the oxide semiconductor film bythe second heat treatment.
 4. The manufacturing method of thesemiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the oxidesemiconductor film is an intrinsic type (i-type) oxide semiconductorfilm or substantially i-type oxide semiconductor film after the secondheat treatment is performed.